Paper Skin

[Verse 1]
I fold my clothes in perfect lines
But I can't fold my scattered mind
Tried on a smile that didn't fit
Tag still hanging from it
Everyone says I'm doing fine
But they don't see the quiet nights
Staring at the ceiling fan
Asking why I am what I am
[Chorus]
What was I made for
If I can't feel right in my own skin
If I keep breaking
Every time I try to let someone in
Tell me there's more
Than waking up tired of this war
If I was made for something
Why can't I find what I was made for
[Verse 2]
Called my mom
She changed the theme
Asked me if I'm eating
Sleeping
I said
"yeah
" and bit my tongue
Tasted iron
Tasted young
Old report cards in a drawer
"Could do better
Should try more"
Guess I learned to chase that grade
Now I'm lost when there's no A
[Chorus]
What was I made for
If I can't feel right in my own skin
If I keep breaking
Every time I try to let someone in
Tell me there's more
Than waking up tired of this war
If I was made for something
Why can't I find what I was made for
[Bridge]
Maybe I'm a work half-done (mm)
Blueprint smudged and coming undone
Maybe I'm a quiet prayer
Still hanging in the air (oh)
[Chorus]
What was I made for
If being me keeps cutting me deep
If all this hurting
Is just me learning how to finally breathe
Tell me there's more
Than counting the cracks in my core
If I was made for something
Help me believe what I was made for
[Outro]
Lights off
Face in my hands
Whisper my name
Try to understand
Maybe I was made for
Learning how to love this paper skin

Slow-blooming cinematic R&B ballad with female vocals; intimate piano and soft pads in the verses, warm bass and subtle soul drums lifting the choruses. Gentle strings swell on key lines, with airy falsetto harmonies and close-mic whispers on ad-libs. Final chorus widens with layered vocals and a distant choir feel, then everything falls back to solo voice and piano for the last line., sad, heartfelt, soul, r&b