The Love I Think I Deserve

[Verse 1]
Met you on a weak day
Heart half-off on the rack
You said all the right things
I kept never looking back
Took your crumbs like they were diamonds
Called it “just the way it works”
Told my girls that I was happy
Even when it kinda hurt
[Chorus]
We accept the love we think we deserve
I kept shrinking down my worth for your words
Gave you all this heart
Just to watch it burn
Guess I took the love
Took the love I thought I deserved (oh yeah)
But I’m learning what I’m worth
[Verse 2]
You were good at staying distant
Close enough to keep me near
I kept drawing softer boundaries
You kept playing on my fears
Every “sorry” felt like honey
Till it faded into dust
I was loyal to your chaos
When I should’ve picked my trust
[Chorus]
We accept the love we think we deserve
I kept shrinking down my worth for your words
Gave you all this heart
Just to watch it burn
Guess I took the love
Took the love I thought I deserved (mm-mm)
But I’m learning what I’m worth
[Bridge]
Now I talk to my reflection
Say “you’re more than all that pain”
Every scar became a sentence
Spelling out my brand-new name (hey)
If I ever give my heart again
It won’t be for someone to hurt
I won’t settle for the version
Of the love I think I deserve
[Chorus]
We accept the love we think we deserve
But I’m done with making cages from words
If you want this heart
Better show and serve
‘Cause I want the love
Want the love I know I deserve (yeah, yeah)
I’m reclaiming what I’m worth

Smoky neo-soul groove with female vocals, warm Rhodes chords and lazy rimshot drums, subby bass sliding under the pocket. Verses stay intimate and close-mic’d, light reverb, subtle background harmonies. Chorus blooms with stacked vocals, airy pads, and a lifted drum feel; bridge strips to Rhodes and voice before a final, ad-lib-heavy hook outro., r&b, soul