Hollyoaks
Mel's Story – Part 1.
As Mel Burton laid there in his arms she felt safe. How she wished it could be like this all the time, maybe if it was she would stop messing up. She owed OB so much, despite the fact she constantly toyed with his emotions, blowing hot and cold he was still there for her. Naturally there had been times he had got so annoyed with her antics he had told her it was over between them, but when it mattered he was always there, by her side to pick up the pieces when she had made a mess of things yet again.
Mel tried to work out the exact moment when things had started to go wrong. Was it after the attack? When her stepfather Richard left? When her stepbrother died? When she learnt the truth about her dad's death? Thinking back she tried to recall how happy she had felt when she first arrived in Hollyoaks as a fresh faced student ready to study computer science. For the first time in her life she was Mel Burton the individual instead of Mel with the twin sister, or Mel whose dad had died. She was just plain old Mel. She thought this would be her new beginning, but she was wrong. It must have only been a few weeks into her course when her twin sister Sophie, little brother Justin and Mother, Liz had arrived announcing they were moving to Chester. Before she knew it her new beginning was nothing more than a distant memory. Her Mother began work as the college administrator, much to Mel's horror. Sophie not only enrolled onto the beauty therapy course, but she also soon started dating Joe, the very guy Mel had set her sights on for herself. Mel the individual was history.
It had always seemed to Mel that people did not realise what it was like to be an identical twin. As much as she loved Sophie, part of her felt that her twin was part of the reason she was in this state now. The constant comparisons over the years had worn her down, leaving her believing she was no way near as good as her sister. All her life it had been a case of Sophie being labelled the 'perfect good twin', whilst Mel was called the 'difficult one.' Mel had lost count of the number of times her Mother had said to people "If only she was more like her sister." Throughout their childhood years Mel had tried so hard to be like Sophie. Just once she wanted someone to praise her without comparing her to Sophie. Only one person had ever seen the real Mel, and now he had gone. Mel loved her dad so much, people joked she was a daddy's girl which is why it had hurt her so much to discover her Mother had kept the truth about his death a secret. The final blow came when she discovered that Sophie had known the truth all along, but Mel and Justin had been kept in the dark. Whilst Justin had gone off the rails over this latest revelation all Mel had wanted to know is why she had not been told too, yet with no answers forthcoming she had decided to look for her own, in the bottom of a vodka bottle.
A tear trickled down her face as she thought about it and how it seemed even her own Mother had no time for her. She wished her dad was still here and life had been different. At that moment OB woke.
"Mel, what's wrong?" he asked, his voice full of concern.
Mel did not answer. By now the tears were flowing fast as sobs wracked through her body. She had made such a mess of everything, let everyone down by failing to live up to their expectations, and now they hated her.
"I'm sorry." She cried. "I'm sorry, I'm not Sophie."
OB looked puzzled.
"Sophie? What's she got to do with this?" he asked.
"I'm sorry" she whispered over and over again. She did love OB, but how could she be with him knowing she was not good enough and that she would let him down? OB held her tightly.
"I love you Mel." He said softly.
"I love you too." She replied. "But I'm no good. I'll let you down. I'm the bad twin, like Mum always said. Sophie is the good one. I'm damaged.
"Never say that, Mel. Sure you drive me insane at times, but it makes me want to be with you even more. You are an amazing person, Mel and people don't tell you often enough. You are brave, fun to be around, and on top of all that you are gorgeous too."
Mel started to cry again. No one had ever said such beautiful things to her. She took a deep breath.
"I'm so messed up OB. I'm an alcoholic."
She had finally admitted it, she had a drink problem. Mel Burton the alcoholic.
OB pulled her closer towards him.
"You won't have to deal with it alone. We'll get help and I will be with you every step of the way. You can't get rid of me that easily" he added with a smile.
Mel knew it would be a long and hard road, but she was determined to do it. She would give up drinking and get her life back. She would do it for OB, for her fathers memory and most importantly, for herself.