Welcome to Reality [UPDATES FRIDAY]

4. Oskar

My alarm wakes me at seven am. I hit the snooze button until Liam eventually grumbles and shoves me out of bed.

'Come on, Oskar. Some of us are trying to sleep.'

If there's one thing that can put Liam in a bad mood, it's waking him up early in the morning. But somehow, I'm not feeling particularly sympathetic. He's not the one on the way to work. I sigh, checking the time. I'll have to get the bus now, I'm running late. I pull on my work pants wearily. Liam sits up, watching me.

'I'm awake now.'

'No, really?'

'So maybe while I've got you here, we can talk about your birthday celebrations.'

'I don't want a fuss.'

'But turning eighteen is huge!'

It is huge, actually. Usually, I'm not one for birthdays and all that palaver. It's just a commercialised way of companies earning money from pointless cards and novelty gifts nobody ever uses. But this year is different. Turning eighteen means I have access to my past. I can find out what happened to my parents, if I want to. I spent my whole childhood hopping between foster homes and children's homes. Part of me thinks I'm ready for some answers. The other half wants to keep things a mystery. I guess I'll always have the fear that my past is even worse than my present.

'Let's just get a Chinese and a cake or something. Just you and me.'

'But I want to take you out! I thought we could try the new Italian in town. Italian is the most romantic thing I can think of...though I might have to make you swear off garlic bread. That can kill the mood a little.'

'Only for vampires like you,' I say, reaching over to dig his ribs. 'When did you last leave the house?'

'I went out, like, two evenings ago.'

'Let me rephrase. When did you last leave the house during the day?'

'Ah. You've got me there.'

'Why don't you get your ass out of bed and drive me to work, then?'

Liam yawns. 'But so tired.'

I can feel myself getting vaguely irritated. 'Tired? You've done nothing all week. Come on. Just do this one thing. For me.'

'Okay, okay. Give me a minute.'

I wait while Liam pulls on his patchwork jumper and jogging pants. He grabs a bottle of water from the bedside table and then fishes out his car keys, twirling them around his finger. 'Ready when you are.'

I try my best not to let my irritation show as we walk out to the car. No doubt he'll have some other menial complaint when I arrive home later today. I'm in the mood to snap, but snapping at Liam is like kicking a puppy. Mean, unforgiveable and deeply frowned upon.

Liam rubs his hands together and then clutches the steering wheel, kicking the car into action. We set off slowly, like we have all the time in the world. Which I suppose Liam does. What will he do when he arrives home today, I wonder? More video games, perhaps. He claims to dabble in freelance art, but he doesn't put enough effort it for it to kick of the ground. He whistles as he drives, and my annoyance starts to surface again. Annoyance that life is such a breeze for him. I know it's not fair to say that when he's given me so much, but sometimes, the class divide between us makes me feel like I'm sat on the side-lines of his life, waiting for something good to happen and questioning why our cards were dealt the way they were.