two; everything will be okay
"WE'RE HERE!" I yell parking in front of the park where Lauren and I met.
"why are we here?" she asked unbuckling herself.
"we're here to talk about stuff on the tree we always used to climb."
I looked over to Lauren and see her admiring the view of the horizon although it was 4 in the afternoon.
her eyes turned a lighter shade of green making me feel like I don't deserve her.
"hello." Lauren waved her hand in front of my face.
"oh sorry." I look away and hear her adorable giggle.
I unbuckle myself and get out of the car, quickly running to Lauren's side to open the door.
"thanks baby." she kissed my nose.
"anything for my princess." I smile holding her hand.
"what do you need to talk to me about?" she asked leaning her head on my shoulder.
"stuff." I kiss the top of her head.
"race you." she lets go of my hand and runs to the giant tree awaiting us.
"hey cheater." I run after her, catching up.
we stop and admire the giant tree in front of us.
"I remember when we first kissed here." I say tears brimming the corner of my eyes remembering the day before.
"she's really proud of you Jordan."
Lauren says hugging me tightly as my tears fell.
"yeah she is I guess." I laugh a little.
"you should sing the song." I feel Lauren staring at me.
"you're right." I hug Lauren tighter.
"I'll go get your guitar." she lets go and runs to the car.
I stand there with the memories flowing back.
"thank you Melissa." I look down and close my eyes.
"here you go baby." Lauren handed me my acoustic guitar.
"thank you." I place the strap on my shoulder and begin playing.
"I'll sing the hook, if you'd like."
I look over to her smiling.
she smiles back and begins singing.
Hook:
even if I don't stay, everything will be okay.
Everything will be okay.
Everything will be okay
(okay, okay)
Verse 1:
Contemplating just who I could've turned out to be.
if I'd stay and weren't heard, what would amount to me?
if I had looked and ain't found, would I have founded me?
I mean inside, would they love me?
never looked down on me?
They say, "You know if you loved her, well then you would have stayed. you could have made a perfect pair that people wouldn't trade."
Trade for nothing, I did though, I had to chase it.
Face it, I wasn't born to live a life basic.
They say, "you turned your back on us, just to go and be an artist.
what's a promise anyway when someone breaks it? I bet he finally gets a shot and then he wastes it. I bet he don't come back for us when he makes it and if he do it be too late, you gotta face it 'cause by then there's someone new you've been replaced with."
old friends I grew up with, the girl I fell in love with.
love or hate me depending on how you judge it.
Hook:
even if I don't stay
(even if I don't stay)
everything will be okay
everything will be okay
(I promise it'll be okay)
everything will be okay
(okay, okay)
verse 2:
I had to wonder, I had to go tread my own path.
if you don't step through no mud, well then it won't last.
the years pass it's crazy how they go fast.
ask myself questions that you have but won't ask like "you don't even come home enough. where were you when she was in the hospital, huh? it was only us," and that's deep and yeah I know it cuts.
but if it gets you, then you're weak because we were here and it ain't broken us.
still as close and stayed by her side when no one was like when she lost her job and everything, how broke we was.
when she was sick and she needed some takin care of.
a fifteen year old shouldered the weight and when he was scared of the worst, I know that you stayed strong
don't say this enough but you made me just as proud as you made mom.
yeah, you got some anger but I don't blame you at all.
I know I don't call, but you're my brother, I love you
hook:
even if I don't stay
(even if I don't stay)
everything will be okay
(it'll be, it'll be okay)
everything will be okay
(I promise it'll be okay)
everything will be okay
(okay, okay)
verse 3:
in that first grade class they came and got me.
"your mom's outside, say goodbye now to everybody"
u-haul was waiting with all of her things
at least what she could pack in time my dad's at work and before he came back.
way too young to comprehend what was happening.
"are we going to grandma's? when are we coming back again?"
little did I know that we were leaving him by himself
and ten years would pass before mom sees anybody else
just us, in middle school I ain't understand who Melissa was and why she wasn't another man.
biased and confused they try to explain but nobody can.
wanted what I thought was normal, she had another plan.
such is life, even if it took time for me to accept it.
no longer dad now, but a woman with whom she slept with or for the years when a secret was how she kept it.
I ain't get it, admittedly I was skeptic
I came around, happiness I see's what you may have found and that's what's most important
I don't wanna see you breaking down
I wanna see you smile, I don't wanna see you make a frown.
if she loves you, then that's all anybody needs maybe now
by '05 things had gotten worse
moved to the basement, deep depressions a rotten curse
hiding in a dark place, her mind and her body hurts
becoming more reclusive and the pills should have been alerts
so the worse it got, I became more and more afraid
until one night, I went into that room, on the floor she laid
I shook her she was blue, her skin was cold
she wasn't breathing
screamed, "Melissa wake up"
couldn't fathom that she was leaving
mom and bro was running down, I screamed "somebody help"
try pumping her chest, CPR, but it didn't help
toughest pill to swallow, but we lost, that's forced reflection
while on her life you made her happy, thank you for the blessing
hook:
even if I don't stay
(even if I don't stay)
everything will be okay
(it'll be, it'll be okay)
everything will be okay
(I promise it'll be okay)
everything will be okay
(okay, okay)
I look over at Lauren with tear stains on her cheeks.
"it'll get better." she whispers hugging me.
"look at us now, we're happy, she's happy. you're the reason she smiling down at us. she believes in you Jordan, just as much as I do." she kissed my jaw and rests her head on my shoulder.
we stayed silent taking in the sunset setting on the horizon.
"I'm going to California." I whisper breaking the silence.
"when?"
"tomorrow when you leave for tour."
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word count: 1233
