Hollyoaks - Melissa's Departure (Alternative Ending) Hannah and Melissa

Chapter 1 - Building Bridges

13th August 2007.
Mid-afternoon.

SCENE: Hannah's room.
Hannah and Melissa are present.
*Melissa is sitting sideways on Hannah's bed,
with her legs straight before her but her knees raised upward.*

*Hannah is trying old clothes, gleefully realising more fits her, as she has lost more weight recently.*

Hannah (happily confused): I just don't understand! I thought I had been doing really bad recently. I've even been eating a little more than usual.

Melissa: "More"? You scarcely eat as is! I'm beginning to think you're trying to be me!

Hannah: Don't be daft! I could never be you.

Melissa: No, you'd never get quite this fat...

*Hannah puts down the clothes she is holding, and sits on the bed beside Melissa, briefly hugging her, and letting go whilst smiling.*

Hannah: Oh, don't be silly now! You must realise,
you weigh much less than me! I know that you've been struggling a lot recently... but you're doing quite alright. You could be as unlucky as to have my barmy family to contend with - now THAT would be a major struggle! You're welcome to endure that one if you want, eh?

Melissa: Not quite feeling up to that kind of challenge, thanks! Besides, your brothers are just gross!

Hannah: Hey!

Melissa: It's true! Half of the time Josh smells like he could do with another shower, or at least wear a bit more aftershave for the sake of others...
Rhys, well... let's not even go there! His attitude and his ego would take about thirty minutes to discuss just briefly, and that's just the introduction of his bad traits!

*Hannah laughs briefly, but quite unconvincingly*

*Melissa's vacant expression lessens from her face slowly, and she turns to Hannah and smiles*

Melissa: I do like it here though... Family, it's the bones of anybody's support system. The most basic foundation of someone's life... You know, you've got a good one... don't ever, ever tell them that I'd ever said that though, hey!

*Hannah laughs*

Melissa: They do look out for you a lot. I wish I could say the same for my family though.

Hannah: You've spoken of them before very cryptically...
Why are they such a concealed issue for you? What happened in your family for you to be here, so far away from home and stuff... I just don't understand?
You do know if something's wrong you can talk to me about it, yeah?

*Melissa looks away*

Hannah: Did your parents get too much for you?

Melissa: No...

Hannah: Maybe sisters? Brothers?

Melissa: No, no. It's nothing like that.

Hannah: Did you become too much for them, then?
I don't understand, I just... I just want to be a better friend to you, that's all. It's difficult to do when I don't fully understand where you come from... That's the only reason I ask really. I hope you understand.

Melissa: I do... but I don't want to talk about it.

*Hannah sighs*
*Melissa looks back to Hannah, opens her mouth as if to speak but closes it again to think for a moment... She decides to continue speaking, though.*

Melissa: Ever since dad found out how I'm struggling... He did nothing but moan, moan, moan about it. He didn't understand. Nobody understood, but he would always tell me about how pathetic and frail I looked and had become, and how I wouldn't amount to anything, or live much longer. He never helped, he only ever judged me... and mocked me, from a distance.

Hannah: That's awful... I'm so sorry.
I know how you feel. It's just the same with dad for me, too. He never really understands how I feel. It's painful but... I just think it's that old-fashioned mindset.

Melissa: Maybe. *smiles*

*Knocking on the door*
Josh (Hannah's brother): Hannah? Han, are you in there?
I think mum wants to speak to you about something...

Hannah *whispering*: Melissa, don't let him know I'm here.

Josh: Han, I know you're in there. We know you haven't gone out!

Melissa *whispering*: He obviously knows, he's not going to go away, what are you gonna do? Do you want me to get rid of him! I could say you're out?

Hannah *whispering quickly*: No! Don't, he will go away soon. He might think I'm asleep, or don't want to speak. Don't worry - he won't come in, they don't. Well, mum might if she's angry but everyone else is relatively okay, ha.

Melissa *shouting out*: Josh?

*Hannah lightly taps Melissa on her arm*

H *whispering*: Oi! What d'ya do that for?

Josh: Y-you? What are you doing here?

Melissa: Is that any way to speak to a guest?

Josh: I want to speak with Hannah. Is she in?

Melissa: No! She went out to the shop, I'm feeling so awful, she went to go get me some paracetamol.

Josh: What?

H *whispering*: He knows we have some in! Worst excuse ever, not even believable!

Josh: We have some in! Surely she would have known that.

Melissa: Maybe you didn't have enough - I don't know!
It's been fifteen minutes or more since she checked and went out. Maybe she.. bumped into Gilly or Nancy when she'd gone out, or John-Paul, or Craig or Sarah. She has been out a while now. I don't know, I just don't know. This fever is awful. *cough* *groggy voice* I feel so...
so bad really. I'm resting on her bed, do you want me to text her for you?

*Josh is silent for about three or four seconds,
whilst likely mulling over what Melissa had said and asked*

Josh: No, it doesn't matter... Thanks anyway.

*Footstep sounds, as Josh walks away*

H: Well, that was close! I don't want to speak with any of them. They've all been down my throat lately. Especially mum. Surprisingly dad isn't too bothered, but maybe that isn't too great either.
I wonder what Rhys is up to.

Melissa: I dread to imagine! Come on...

*Melissa walks to the other end of the room, towards Hannah's dressing table*

M: It's time to get ready!
H: What for?
M: Oh, I didn't tell you, did I?
H: Tell me what?

*Melissa picks up a stick of concealer make-up and points it towards Hannah*

M: You... are going on a date tonight.
H: WHAT? When I look like this? Why didn't you say anything sooner?
M: What, and miss the look on that face?

*Hannah has her jaw wide-opened, completely gob-smacked in appearance with disbelief.
She looks away after a short gasp*

M: Stop worrying, it's almost as if you don't have any faith in me, or my knowledge of my own best friend, hey?
H: No, no it's not like that...
M: Seems like it! Besides... *begins applying concealer to her blemishes* Max... is a lovely guy.
H: Max? Oh... There is someone else who's called Max around here...
M: Yeah, well, he's not from Hollyoaks...
Anyway, he's a barman at the SU bar. He likes blondes,
and particularly attractive ones! So I may have...
kind of... accidentally told him about my marvellous best friend...?
H: Oh. Excellent. And then you'll turn up with me!
Didn't think that through now, did you?
M: Yes, I did... and as it happens, I won't be turning up with you.
H *sharply*: I'm not going.
M: You are! I will go WITH you, just... I will leave you two to it, and not be seen. I have some fun of my own arrange for tonight.

Early evening.
SCENE: Outside SU bar.
*Melissa and Hannah present, talking*

M: Go on, go in. Don't be afraid or he'll get feet as cold as yours! Get in there!

*Melissa opens the door and pushes Hannah in abruptly*

H: Oi!
M *frantically*: Go on! I'm going now anyway-
H: But-
M: Bye!

*Hannah looks over to find a guy staring across from a table at her.*

*She stops to think about it whilst giving direct and reciprocated eye contact, and begins to turn away and walk out*

Max *shouting*: Hannah!

*Hannah pauses in her tracks. Max is sat at a table for two. He has a look of urgency on his face. He is a man of a slightly muscular build, with short, black, spiky hair.
He is about average height for a male, about 5'11 to 6'1 region.*

*Hannah looks back to Max with a look of discomfort on her face*

*Max runs over to Hannah*

Max: Melissa... did explain, didn't she? She told me that you wanted to go on a date... am I not what you'd expected or something? Is something wrong...?

Hannah: It's not that... I had a break-up recently. I'm... just not sure I'm ready to get into all of... this.

Max: Oh that's nothing *takes Hannah by the hands with his hands,
softly* you needn't worry about anything. Let's just... sit and have a few drinks, eh? On me, of course! Don't worry about it.

*Hannah smiles, swaying slightly whilst considering the offer,
weighing it up carefully*

Hannah: Hmm, I don't know eh!

Max: Come on...

*Hannah smiles*

Hannah: Go on then!

*Max proceeds back to the table,

bringing Hannah with him*

- End of chapter 1.