Yasmin Rahman - This Is My Truth

There are plenty of theories about the best way to wake up in the morning. Some go for a gradually brightening light alarm, waking up gently as they adjust to the fake sunrise. Others opt for loud noises that immediately strike fear in their heart. I, on the other hand, put forward that the most effective way to get someone out of bed is having their five-year-old brother sit on their head.

Oh my God, Ismail, GET OFF! I yell, my voice muffled by his body.

Ismail giggles as he wiggles around on my face. I cant help but laugh too as I push him off. He flops onto the mattress, cackling maniacally. I take my chance, reach over and start tickling him under the arms; as expected, he screams happily.

Shhhhh, I say, covering his mouth and watching the door. Well get told off.

Ismails grin slowly melts against my palm.

Why are you up so early? I ask, reaching for my phone to check the time. The screen doesnt light up. I tap it again. Nothing. I press the power button and my stomach drops when I see the dead battery sign. I check my charger lead and find that its been disconnected from the plug adapter all night.

Oh crap, I say, jumping out of bed. I check the clock on the wall. We are so late, I tell Ismail. His slightly too long black hair is standing up in haywire tufts, and his Spiderman pyjamas are all crinkled from the tickle fight. Ammi normally wakes him up and gets him ready; I dont understand whats happened today. I need to shower. Now I guess Ill need to get Ismail ready too. And give him breakfast. And, oh God, I was supposed to wake up early to revise for my biology practice exam! Crap, crap, crap.

Wheres Ammi? I ask. Im angry at her. My phone died during the night, but whats her excuse? Shes meant to be up first. Its her job to do all this. Ismail is usually eating breakfast when I wake up.

Shes sleeping, he tells me, casually stretching out across my bed. I tried waking her but she wont get up.

She must be having an off day. She has these sometimes, where she cant get out of bed. Ill come home from school and shell only just be eating breakfast. On days like this, things are super scattered, and it makes me anxious and flustered. Normally Im up on time and can take over.

OK, right, I say, trying to gather myself. Right, yes lets We can do this. First things first, you need to get into your uniform.

Ismail looks right at me and blows a raspberry, before dissolving into laughter again.

Oh God, this is going to be hard.

I dont wanna eat Shreddies! I want pancakes! Ismail says, knocking over the box of cereal so brown squares scatter across the table. I pick one up and pop it into my mouth, partly because theyre delicious, and partly to stop myself from yelling, like I so want to. I dont know how Ammi does this every day; Ismail can be really annoying when youre stressed.

Were already late theres no time for pancakes, I tell him, picking up the box and fixing the mess hes made. We dont even have time for breakfast, but I know youll just end up cranky and your teacher will tell Ammi off again. Just eat your cereal. Here, Ill even put some sugar on it for you. I go to sprinkle some sugar in his bowl, but he knocks the spoon out of my hand and starts giggling again.

Ismail! I yell. This isnt funny. Were so late. Can you just eat. Please?

No Shreddies! I want pancakes!

Ughhhhhh. This boy, I swear to God. Sometimes he acts like hes three years old, not five. I look at the clock and panic again. I shouldve just given him a banana and forced him out of the door. I look down at his grinning face, those mischievous brown eyes, and realise I need to play dirty if Im gonna get anywhere with him.

Fine, you know what? You dont have to go to school today. At all, I say.

His eyes light up and he sits up straight. For real?

I nod, cleaning up the spilled sugar on the table. Yeah, you can just stay at home. Ammis not well, so shell be in bed all day. Itll just be you and Abbu when he gets back from work. I dont think hes gonna be happy about you skiving though.

That does it. His smile drops. I almost feel bad, but I force myself to act normal. Calm. Like Ammi. I hand him the cereal spoon again. He takes it this time.

Can I watch a video? he asks, his mouth still empty. One of yours?

I shouldnt let him; I know that its a bad habit. But I also know the best thing to do right now is let him have his way. My phones still on charge, so I grab Ammis iPad, load up my YouTube channel and pass the device over.

Making videos is my biggest hobby. I make all kinds of weird things remakes of movie scenes (mostly Disney films) using toys or household items, videos of Ismail being goofy, and sometimes stop-motion shorts. Ismail helps with a lot of them, which is probably why hes so into them. I usually save watching them as a treat for him, but like I say, this is an extreme case.

He finally starts eating, and I busy myself making cheese sandwiches for his lunch. God, I cant believe we woke up this late. As I spread mayonnaise, I imagine what will happen when I get into school. Miss Kirtley in reception is always a bitch to anyone whos late Youll get nowhere in life if you turn up late, Amani, shell say. And then theres the whole thing of having to walk into class while everyones already working. Im tempted to skive, but like Ismail, the thought of being around Abbu all day while Ammis upstairs resting is a bit much.

As if Ive willed him into existence, I hear Abbus voice. My heart spikes, thinking hes going to go ballistic, seeing Ismail and me still at home, seeing me making sandwiches while Ammis asleep upstairs. I turn around, the butter knife almost dropping from my hand, but then I realise that Ismail has just switched over to the live TV app on the iPad. And theres Abbu on the screen, smile plastered across his face. Youd think Id be used to this by now Abbus been a presenter on a kids TV show about vets and animals, Creature Clinic, for years, though I havent watched it myself in ages. Today hes on adult TV though. Some breakfast show, trying to promote the next series of Creature Clinic.

Look, Maani, its Abbu! Ismail says, his voice full of glee (and, thankfully, Shreddies).

We both watch the screen, watch this version of Abbu that we never see at home. I get that he has to become this personality for his job, but its honestly like a completely different person is in front of me. He even has banter with the presenters as he sits on the sofa, stroking a cat. The presenters are also holding small animals. Theyre laughing as if theyve never heard someone funnier than Abbu. It makes me smile seeing that hes so good at his job.

Abbu was a proper vet for years, when I was younger, and then he got offered the Creature Clinic gig, which paid a lot more. He often does these live TV appearances to promote the show hell go on and entertain people with some cute animals and weird facts.

I focus on putting extra mayonnaise on Ismails sandwiches because I know he likes them soggy. Im just cutting the crusts off when I hear yelling from the iPad. I turn to find chaos on the screen. Everyone is up off the sofa now. Theres a a cat attached to Abbus beard. He tries to shake it off, but its got a death grip on him. The blonde female presenter screams as his movements make the cat swing back and forth. Next thing I know, the other animals have gone berserk too. Theres a lizard tangled in the blonde ladys long hair, with the same death grip, and a guinea pig runs into the audience.