Late Check-In

[Verse 1]
You hit me with that "you up?"
2:45 on a Tuesday
Always talkin’ ’bout trust
But you only call me your way
You say that you’ve changed
Same couch
Same show
Same game
My heart on read
Your hands on me
Then you fade
[Pre-Chorus]
I memorized your patterns
Like I wrote them on my skin
Say you miss the way I laugh
When you’re lonely again
I’m tired of the reruns
Tired of the almosts
This time when you call my phone
[Chorus]
It’s a late check-in
I won’t pick up
You can talk to the dial tone
Talk to your luck
Used to fall right back
Now I’m standing up
If you wanted all this
You’d have shown up
Just another late check-in
You’re out of time
You can keep your maybe
I’ll keep my mind
No more waiting on a half-past-love
Late check-in
I’m hangin’ up
[Verse 2]
You love to say "we’re grown"
But you crumble under questions
You swear that I’m "the one"
Til it comes to real intentions
You leave your hoodie in my room
Like a flag you didn’t earn
But I boxed that thing this afternoon
Guess it’s finally my turn
[Pre-Chorus]
You’re scrolling through our photos
Thinking that I might fold
But I got used to sleeping
On my side in the cold
You’re knocking on my front door
I’m singing to myself
Baby
You can ring that bell
[Chorus]
It’s a late check-in
I won’t pick up
You can talk to the dial tone
Talk to your luck
Used to fall right back
Now I’m standing up
If you wanted all this
You’d have shown up
Just another late check-in
You’re out of time
You can keep your maybe
I’ll keep my mind
No more waiting on a half-past-love
Late check-in
I’m hangin’ up
[Bridge]
Yeah
I loved you
I admit it (oh)
But I love me more
I’m with it (yeah)
You can spin your little stories to your friends
Tell ’em I was trippin’
Tell ’em I was different
But I know what I gave
What I gave
What I gave
And you know what you missed in the end
[Chorus]
It’s a late check-in
I won’t pick up
You can talk to the dial tone
Talk to your luck
Used to fall right back
Now I’m standing up
If you wanted all this
You’d have shown up
Just another late check-in
You’re out of time
You can keep your maybe
I’ll keep my mind
Left your name on read in my heart’s inbox
Late check-in
I changed the locks

Moody midtempo R&B; warm Rhodes and deep bass under tight, head-nod drums. Female vocals, close-mic and intimate, stacking soft harmonies in the hook. Subtle guitar swells in the pre-chorus; bridge strips to keys and snaps, then final chorus blooms with airy backing vocals and a touch of plate reverb.