Kate Tempest - Stink

It feels like we could make something happen
That ain’t ever happened before.
Let’s never get bored
Of each other.
And let’s always want more
Of each other.

They lay on the floor with each other
Amazed by how right it felt
They smiled and they caught their breath
And they thought of nothing else

They lay there silent
Not touching
She’s crying
Backs to each other
And he’s sighing
Three days straight fighting
‘I can’t bear your self-importance.’
‘I don’t like you when you’re like this.’
‘You haven’t even kissed me for days’
‘How can I want to kiss you
When all your lips say
Is how shitty I’ve been and how little I care?’
‘What are we doing this for?’
‘I can’t bear any more of your bitching.’
They sit there in the kitchen
They didn’t look at each other
They just stared at the walls
And her head’s in her hands
And the coffee pot falls to the floor
Now he is angry and smashing up tables

He was thinking:

If I love you like I say
I would not treat you this way
If I love you like I think
I would not make such a stink

If this is what we had both hoped
I don’t think I’d feel so choked
If I want more, how can I get it?
I’m only staying ‘cause I’m scared
If I leave I’ll regret it.

Pete is at home, Becky is at work
He stares out the window
Trying not to let it hurt
He folds up the washing
He watches a bit of telly
And he makes himself some dinner
But he can’t eat any
He knows it’s her job and that she is working hard
But the thought of what she does kind of rips him apart
And every time they talk about it, it just turns into a row
She says ‘If you trust me, I don’t see how
This can be a problem,’
And he can’t find the words to say -
I don’t want your hands
On another man’s vertebrae

He don’t have a leg to stand on
He ain’t earning
And she’s got rent to pay
And books to buy
She is determined
To support herself
But he looks at his girlfriend
And feels like
He is in love with a whirlwind
She rips him to pieces every night
And every morning
He finds himself doubting things
That used to be important

He drifted from his mates and he lost contact with his brother
All they really had now was each other
Eventually he gave in, he said
‘If you think it’s right
Then go ahead and work
But please don’t work tonight.’

Then she said:

If you love me like you say
You would not push me away
If you love me like you think
You would not make such a stink
If this is what we had both hoped
I don’t think that we’d feel so choked
If I want more, how can I get it?
You’re only staying ‘cause you’re scared
If you leave you’ll regret it.