Holding Cell

I’ve been living in a nightmare world
Trapped inside my holding cell
Gotta smile so the world can’t tell
Is this real?

Tired of living like I'm second rate
Tired of looking for the hand of fate
The years just take and then they slip away

Tired of wondering if I'm good enough
Or being told I need to toughen up
Swimming even though the water’s rough
I don’t need compliments or lies to bring me up

Sacrifice every part of me
To the gods I cannot see
Like I'm living in a memory
Is this just a dream
I’ve been living in a nightmare world
Trapped inside my holding cell
Gotta smile so the world can’t tell
Is this real because it feels like hell

Time for me to put the past behind
This old sadness doesn’t age like wine
The years go by and we run out of time

Not gonna make apologies
Or give a self-indulgent speech
I know that I did right by me
Just be real with me and leave me be

Sacrifice every part of me
To the gods I cannot see
Like I'm living in a memory
Is this just a dream
I’ve been living in a nightmare world
Trapped inside my holding cell
Gotta smile so the world can’t tell
Is this real because it feels like hell

If you love me unconditionally
You won’t spend your time judging me
I said, I know I did right by me
And life’s too brief to make apologies