Wrong Room

Mmm...

You shouldn’t have followed me.

Not with everybody downstairs.

Close the door.

No, leave it cracked...

Let the danger breathe.

Downstairs they’re laughing, glasses ring,

Schwingman’s loud in the kitchen scene.

Sarah slips upstairs with a careful smile,

Says she needs a minute, but she stays awhile.

One soft knock on the bedroom frame,

Neighbor standing there with guilt and flame.

He says, “I shouldn’t be here tonight.”

She says, “Then why do your eyes look right?”

Don’t lie now,

Don’t play clean.

You came up here

To be seen.

Say it plain,

Say it true.

Do you want this?

I need to hear you.

Only if you want me to.

Say stop and I’m gone.

Then stay right there...

But don’t pretend you’re strong.

I knew when you came, and I knew when I stayed,

I knew every line that I quietly frayed.

There’s a bad little truth in a beautiful room,

And it blooms, and it blooms, and it blooms.

I knew I was wrong, but I knew I was free,

I knew you were waiting for permission from me.

So I gave you my eyes, and I gave you the flame,

Now the wrong room remembers my name.

Somebody calls her name from below,

She answers back sweet, “Just a minute or so.”

But her pulse keeps time with the stairs outside,

And the mirror catches what she cannot hide.

He doesn’t move till she gives the nod,

Like a sinner waiting on a sign from God.

She smiles like trouble, slow and bright,

Says, “Ask me nice if you want tonight.”

He says, “Can I stay here with you?”

She says, “You can, but you better know the truth.

This is not confusion, not a little mistake,

I know what I’m choosing, I know what I’ll break.”

Don’t speak loud,

Don’t move fast.

Make this ache,

Make it last.

If you want sin,

Ask me right.

If I say yes,

We burn tonight.

I knew when you came, and I knew when I stayed,

I knew every line that I quietly frayed.

There’s a bad little truth in a beautiful room,

And it blooms, and it blooms, and it blooms.

I knew I was wrong, but I knew I was free,

I knew you were waiting for permission from me.

So I gave you my eyes, and I gave you the flame,

Now the wrong room remembers my name.

I should be downstairs.

I should be kind.

I should be faithful

In body and mind.

But should is a cage,

And want is a key.

Guilt is a ghost

Standing close to me.

I know what I’m doing.

I know what I chose.

The door is half open,

But nobody knows.

Sarah?

Don’t answer.

Don’t breathe.

Don’t move.

We can stop.

I know...

That’s why I’m choosing not to.

I knew when you came, and I knew when I stayed,

I knew every promise I bent and betrayed.

There’s a bad little truth in a beautiful room,

And it blooms, and it blooms and it blooms.

Let’s do this.