this is me trying.

1

Falling out of favour with her family seemed to be a common occurrence for Ina, constantly trying to tiptoe around each family member's last nerve. Constantly apologising, just for it then later to be thrown back in her face, merely existing on a knife's edge. Constantly wishing that she had escaped the treacherous way of life with her older brother all those years ago.
Most people Ina's age had flown the nest and begun their own lives, some even with husbands and families of their own, but after completing her journalism degree, she fell back into the monotonous cycle of family arguments and crocodile tears. Those university years had been the most blissful yet excruciating years of her life, still living at home as she only studied a couple miles away, but having an escape within the lectures and classes provided comfort to the young woman.
Nowadays, in between fights and freelance article writing, she found little to no escape, the fields in which surrounded her childhood home had grown to provide no excitement in her life anymore, as she grew too familiar with the locals and the country lanes, she longed for a fresh start.
She hates to say it, think it even, but as she found herself replaying the last and most brutal of the family disputes, she was grateful that it happened; grateful that as the worn tires of her greying honda turned against the tarmac of the motorway, she had managed to escape it.
Following her satnav, she found herself able to calm herself at the thought that even for a few hours she wouldn't have to face the consequences and repercussions of her mothers latest outburst. Her family environment was by no means abusive, her parents would never dream of laying a hand on the brunette girl, just very toxic; and after living in her childhood home for just over 24 years, she couldn't take it much longer.
The night was quiet and relaxing as she approached London, a deep contrast to the countryside cottage where she grew up, with no plan as to where she would stay tonight, Ina found herself following the same route her older brother presumably had taken all those years ago.

Ina stood before a thick wooden door, hesitant to knock, no idea in her head as to what she was going to do if this plan of hers didn't work out, she couldn't return now, defeated, after she'd driven for almost two hours under the serene blanket of the English night. Returning to the childhood home with an "I told you so" swirling out of her parents mouths.
She hated to admit it, this was more intimidating than when her Mother gets angry.
With an anxious knock, she shifted from one foot to another, wishing she had brought at least a rucksack with her as she realised she had no change of clothes other than her old university jumper and her ex-boyfriend's joggers that adorned her plump frame.

The wooden door fell open with a slight creek as she saw a slightly familiar face pop around it.
The man at the door held a confused gaze with the young woman as he tried to make out who she was.
"Ina?" Quizzingly, he asked, the years since they'd last spoke were evident,
"George," She sighed with a small smile.
The taller man's face lit up with recognition as he looked down at his younger sister, pulling her in for a hug.
"What the fuck are you doing here? The last I heard from you was your Uni graduation!" Rubbing a soothing hand up and down her back.
"Honestly George, I have no idea" A tear rolled down her freckled cheek, "One minute I was arguing with Mum and Dad, and the next I was on the M1 trying to figure out where to go," An exasperated laugh left her chapped lips, "I know how you must've felt now, when you, you know, left,"

"God, That was what?" He thought for a second, "9 or 10 years ago?" The brunette nodded up at him as she drew back from his embrace, "So have you left for good?" He asked.

"I-" She stopped herself, "I have no clue, The only clothes I have on me are the ones I'm wearing,I have my laptop in my car but it's dead, my phones on 3% and I came here on a whim," She laughed at the absurdity of her actions.

"Okay Ina, come in, I'll make us a drink, You can use my charger and I'm sure I have some clothes you can borrow," He pushed the door further open, gesturing for her to come inside the flat.
"Are you sure? Sorry, I should've called or something, I don't know what I was thinking just turning up like this, It's not fair on you and I'm sure you're busy or something," The anxiety set in as she began to remember the severity of the situation; They hadn't spoken in around 3 years, aside from the odd 'Happy Birthday', or 'Merry Christmas', and a 'Congrats on the new Album!' after George's band released their newest hit, also, they hadn't been face to face since four years ago when her family impulsively decided to visit him, surprisingly enough it was after the success of his band's newest album.
"Please, you're my sister, you're welcome anytime - It wasn't you I left."