No Angel

XXVIII

I would tell you that I love you tonight
But I know that I've got time on my side
Where you going?
Why you leaving so soon?
Is there somewhere else that's better for you?
What is love if you're not here with me?
What is love if it's not guaranteed?
What is love if it just ups and leaves?
What is love if you're not here no more?
What is love if you're not really sure?
What is love?
What is love?

Tell myself I wouldn't cry when you're gone
But I know it's easier said than done
Look at me, look at me, choked up now
Try to tell you but it won't come out

What is love if you're not here with me?
What is love if it's not guaranteed?
What is love if it just ups and leaves?

What is love if you're not here no more?
What is love if you're not really sure?
What is love if it just ups and goes?

I can't live without you (I can't live without you)
I can't live with you (I can't live with you)
What goes around will come right back around, you won't know 'til it hit you
We were supposed to be (an empire)
We were supposed to be (an empire)
We were supposed to be an empire

What is love if you're not here with me?
What is love if it's not guaranteed?
What is love if it just ups and leaves?

What is love?
What is love if you're not really sure?
What is love if it just ups?

Everyone in the studio stood and clapped for her when she was finished but she couldn't even smile at the standing ovation. Drake told her that she needed therapy. Music had been her therapy ever since he had left her broken and alone on her couch. She had written and recorded enough songs for another album and each one was just as heartbreaking as the previous. But the one that she had just recorded had been the hardest one to sing thus far. The only thing keeping her from crying was the fact that everyone was staring at her.

Taking a deep breath, she placed a small smile on her face and exited the recording booth. One of the producers, Z was what he went by, clapped her on her back and she knew that would leave a bruise. A lot of men had the bad habit of not recognizing their strength.

"Demi, you need to send a nice fat check to whoever broke your heart. Because they're gonna get you your first Grammy," Z exclaimed as if that was some type of compliment. As if she should send her hard earned money to Drake to thank him for breaking her heart because now her music was better than ever before? Was that all that he could think about? He wasn't even considerate of the fact that she had experienced a near emotional breakdown during each song that she recorded. All he cared about was Grammys and money and she realized that was just the world that she lived in. She had been so immune to it until now. Now she really just wanted to punch him in the face.

"Why don't we all take a break? Get some lunch?" Timbaland suggested and Demi was more than thankful when most of the staff filtered out of the room. But he stayed behind with her as she plopped down onto the one of the leather office chairs in the room.

"I can't believe he said that," she whispered when they were completely alone. It was hard to get her voice above a whisper when she was doing anything but singing. She used to be loud and proud and confident but it felt like Drake had taken all of that with him.

"Just ignore him, Demi. Whoever broke your heart doesn't deserve anything but a good beat down. If you give me his address..." Demi cut him off with a raspy giggle as she played with her fingernails. They had all been chewed down and bitten down to little nubs and she was ashamed of herself for the terrible habit that she had developed but she couldn't stop.