Under Someone Else’s Roof

On a stormy day, I was stuck at school, waiting for Megan to pick me up.

Two hours later, she still hadn't arrived.

I couldn't wait any longer and walked out, only to overhear Megan on the phone around the corner:

I know, I'll bring him back!

It's not like I asked his dad to save me back then. I don't owe him anything! Why should he emotionally blackmail me like this!

My heart ached.

If I could choose, I'd rather my dad hadn't saved her that day. That way, I wouldn't have to live under someone else's roof.

That night, I submitted my application to teach in a remote district, determined to leave Megan behind for good.

An hour after I got back, Megan's car finally pulled into the driveway. She stormed upstairs, furious.

"Liam, why didn't you wait for me tonight!"

Megan's voice came from outside my door. I put away my dad's photo and replied flatly, "I waited two hours."

Megan stood in the doorway, a flash of impatience crossing her face. "The rain caused traffic. Couldn't you have waited a bit longer!"

"What's so great about that school anyway? Just come work at our family company!"

I didn't agree. "Got it." I wasn't ready to tell her about my plans to teach in the countryside yet.

"It's late. I'm going to bed. If there's nothing else, please go back to your room."

I got up and gently pushed her out. Megan's face darkened as she grabbed the doorframe. "Liam, there's a class reunion the day after tomorrow. Come with me!"

Thinking of that group of high school classmates made my stomach turn.

Before I could refuse, she'd already typed my name into her phone. "I signed you up."

"I'm not going." For the first time, I refused clearly, grabbing her phone and deleting my name. "Megan, I won't go. Those are your friends, your circle. They have nothing to do with me! My life doesn't need you to arrange it!"

Megan froze, then laughed coldly. "Fine! I shouldn't have bothered!"

"You don't need to!" I took a deep breath. "And you don't need to worry about me anymore. I'm not your burden or your responsibility!"

She responded by slamming the door.

Looking at my dad's photo on the desk, complex emotions welled up inside me.

When I was six, Megan fell into the water. A flash flood had erupted while her family was camping by the river, and they couldn't escape in time. Megan was swept into the current. My dad happened to pass by and jumped in without hesitation to save her, but he was pulled under by the rushing water from exhaustion. When they found him, his body was swollen beyond recognition from being submerged for so long.

That's how I lost my father. When the Langley family learned I'd become an orphan, they took me in. Megan took care of me constantly. We grew up together, inseparable. Even her friends joked that I was her shadow.

Now she was saying I was emotionally blackmailing her. If I could choose, I'd rather it had been someone else who died in that flood instead of my dad.

That way, I wouldn't have to fall asleep every night looking at his photo.

As for the class reunion she mentioned, I'd already seen it in the group chat. Those people had spread rumors in school, saying my dad knew his family was poor and used his sacrifice to give me a chance to latch onto the Langleys. I'd fought one of them over it, and we both got hurt. I was so upset that I refused to apologize even when facing suspension.

Megan got the security footage to prove what really happened, and the person who spread the rumors was forced to apologize. But I never forgave them. Because that person was Megan's good friend, and when they said those things, Megan probably agreed deep down.

I left the group chat and looked over my teaching application materials again and again before hitting send.

My mentor called right away. "Liam, you've decided? Does Megan know?"

My mentor had met Megan before. I smiled. "She's not the one who decides my life. I can make my own choices. It's fine."

A soft sigh came through the phone. "Alright. Good luck with everything. See you the day after tomorrow."

"Yeah, thanks."

After hanging up, I surveyed my room and started packing. Since I'd decided to leave, I had no intention of coming back. Some things I couldn't take with me, I'd just throw away.

That night I slept restlessly, my dreams chaotic. When I woke, dawn was breaking. Unable to fall back asleep, I got up and went downstairs. Helen Langley was already in the kitchen.

"Liam, you're up early. Do you have plans today?"

"Yeah, going to school. My teaching practicum is almost over."

Helen set a bowl of oatmeal in front of me, her tone gentle. "What are your plans after graduation? You and Megan are the same age, and you've been in school all these years. When you enter society, make more friends so you won't be lonely."

I understood her underlying meaningshe hoped I wouldn't cling too much to Megan. Robert Langley had indicated more than once that he hoped I'd help Megan in the future, maybe even become part of the family. But Helen didn't agree. Robert had gotten angry about it, calling her "ungrateful."

I'd once overheard their argument outside the study.

I understood what Helen meant, and it stung at the time.

The secret dependence and feelings beyond family affection I'd harbored in my youthothers could probably see them too.

Not just because my dad saved her, but because back then, Megan really had given the lonely me so much warmth.

But now I understood.

In her eyes, the Langleys had raised me all these years, and that debt was more or less repaid. There was no need to be bound together like real family anymore.

But I never needed them to repay any debt. I just wanted my dad back.

If they hadn't ignored the warnings and insisted on camping in that spot, Megan wouldn't have been swept away.

I smiled and said, "Helen, I've actually been wanting to tell you this for a while."

"The Langleys have raised me all these years, and I'm already an adult. I want to move out."

Helen paused. "Liam, you..."

"My dad used to say that ultimately, people can only rely on themselves. The Langleys took me in for so many yearsyou and Robert gave so much. I can't keep being a burden. It's time I lived independently."

"I wanted to talk to Megan about this last night, but she was upset. I'm only telling you, and I'd appreciate it if you'd keep it between us. I'm leaving the day after tomorrow."

Helen looked shocked. "So soon!"

She didn't offer any polite words of persuasion, just that one "so soon," which already revealed her true feelings. Probably realizing how she sounded, she quickly added, "I mean, isn't it too rushed? You still have so many things to sort out. If Megan finds out, she'll probably throw a fit."

"I'll leave it to you to explain it to her, then. Tell her after I'm gone."

Helen's expression softened. "Alright, Liam. You've always been sensible. Have you found a job? Where will you live?"

"I found one. I'm going to be a teacher. I report the day after tomorrow. Haven't found a place yet."

"That's good, very good." Helen's tone clearly lightened. She turned and went upstairs, quickly returning with some documents. "This apartment is downtown, right by the subway station. Very convenient. Take it, Liam. When you're living alone, stay safe. Don't rent a place with strangers."

I accepted it. My dad's life was worth all those years of support from them, plus this apartment. Teaching in a remote area would be tough, and I'd need money in the future. With this apartment, I'd at least have a place to stay when I came back. No need to be precious about it.

After breakfast, Helen took me to transfer the property deed. Looking at my name on the document, I felt relieved.

I went back to continue packing. My eyes swept over the small trinkets on the bookshelfall gifts Megan had given me over the years. I gathered them one by one, sealed them in a box, and prepared to take them to the storage room.

As soon as I stepped out, I ran into Megan.

"What's that?" She frowned at the box.

"Some old things I don't need anymore. Taking them to storage."

"Let me help." She took the box without waiting for an answer and walked off.

I had no choice but to follow. "Liam, why won't you go to the reunion? Are you still hung up on what those people said? That was so long ago! Leo's back in town. Let's all just hang out."

Hearing Leo's name made me pause. So he was back.

"I said I'm not going." My voice was calm. "Megan, who you want to be close to is your business. Don't use me as an excuse. We don't have that kind of relationship anymore, and there's no emotional blackmail. When it comes down to it, you don't owe me anything either."

Megan's face turned livid. "You!"

I took the box back and put it in the storage room, then turned to leave. Behind me, I heard her kick a cardboard box.

For the next two days, I sorted through my old things. Megan didn't come home, and Robert was on a business trip. Helen helped me pack quite a bit, and I shipped it all away.

The day I left, Helen looked up at the second floor, reluctance on her face. "That girl is so busy all the time... Never mind. Liam, she's busy with work. Let's not disturb her. Take care of yourself."

I wheeled my luggage out and sent Megan one final message: "Megan, goodbye."

No response. I headed straight for the station and began my long journey.

That night, on the sleeper train, I was added back to that class group chat. As soon as I entered, I saw photos Leo had posted from the reunionhim and Megan sitting very close, his arm casually draped over the back of her chair.

"After all this time, we meet again! Everyone's still the same!"

The group was full of congratulations and teasing.

"Are you two together? Congrats!"

"You're perfect for each other. When's the wedding?"

"Liam didn't come today. Is he upset? If you two get together, what about Liam?" Someone tagged Megan.

After a long pause, Megan finally replied: "What about him? What does it have to do with me?"

I stared at the screen, almost able to see her impatient face. I remembered high school, when she'd stand up for me and chase away troublemakers, then ruffle my hair and say, "Liam, you're family. I'll always take care of you." "Liam, you've lived with us for so long. Just stay forever, okay?"

I'd naively said back then, "I can't stay forever. I'll need my own place eventually."

But she'd stubbornly grabbed my wrist. "No! Everyone says you have to repay a life-saving debt. I have to take responsibility for you. We'll... we'll always be family."

Those words had made my heart race. I'd thought it was a promise. Looking back now, it was probably just a passing whim. Only I took it seriously.

Messages kept flooding the group. Someone mentioned me again, and Megan brushed it off: "Stop bringing him up. He lived with my family for all those years. Any debt was paid off long ago."

Leo chimed in: "Exactly. Megan has her own life. She can't be tied down by the past forever."

I laughed coldly and typed in the message box: "I could have lived without depending on anyone. It was you, Megan, who made me lose my only family. If I could turn back time, I would hold my dad back and stop him from saving you."

Send. Leave group. Block everyone.

Megan, goodbye forever.