Chapter 23- Secrets

~Zayden's POV~

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"Maybe we should go back."

Nicholas and I squeeze through the crowd of sweaty and chatty people, on our way to find his older sister and grandmother.

He said that in a frightened and shaky voice for the sixteenth time. I could tell he wasn't up to the idea of leaving his two sisters, but then he agreed to go anyway since he knew his way around.

"Why? What would happen?" I question this time, earning a worried side glance from the 9 year old.

"My- my.. Sister..." He keeps stuttering then begins to bite on his nails. I have never seen him done that before. Is it only a habit for when he's nervous?

Nicholas never completes his sentence when we reach Madelyn. She is on a call shaking with Grandma Margery trying to comb her hand through her granddaughter's hair to comfort her. Nicholas literally dashes to his sister, both with the same worried faces. I can't even tell who's more worried. Probably the sales lady behind the counter who's just holding the food in the takeaway.

When I get closer, I hear bits of the conversation.

"I know, Marisa. But I need you to breathe. Slowly. Take your inhaler. And just breathe." There is a small pause between making Madelyn run a hand down her face.

"Are Madison and Marisa not okay?" Nicholas cries. "Do I need to go back? I'll go back!"

Margery steps around Miss Madelyn and scoops up her grandson, striking his brownish, a bit red, hair. "Your sisters are fine." She mutters repeatedly.

"Tell her to take deep breaths. Follow a tempo." Madelyn murmurs into the phone. "No, Marisa, don't panic, you've got this." She glances at me mouthing the words, 'go back to them'. "No, no, no, no. In, out...... Yes, I'm on my way."

I don't wait to hear the next sentence, I immediately turn and start to make my way back to where I came from.

I squeeze through the crowd once more occasionally mumbling to myself. "Madison.. Marisa.. Where are you.."

I nearly run when I finally see them. My sweating mistress lying in the itchy green grass in a fetal position, panting and gaping like a fish for air; and scratching her arms. Marisa is almost the same way. But she is neither in a fetal position nor lying in grass. She is breathing slowly stroking Madison's long beautiful ginger hair, with her spare hand gripping on her inhaler by her mouth.

I dash toward them. I think I slid on the grass when I sat down beside them. Marisa let out what I think is a sigh of relief, but with her being short of breath, I'm not quite sure.

I kind of lift my mistress from the ground and embrace her. I can feel and hear her rapid heartbeat, her quick breaths, the sweat that's rolling down her forehead. I begin to rock slow from side to side. Marisa takes a few puffs from her inhaler already partially calming down before gripping onto my jacket.

"Follow me. Breathe slowly. Eight seconds in. Eight seconds out." I breath in quite slowly for eight seconds, Marisa following my lead and Madison still trying.

In like a minute or so, they begin to calm down and that's when her sister arrives with Nicholas and Margery. "Are they okay?" Nicholas glances at me and I nod. He grins widely running to hug tackle Marisa.

"I can see Marisa's doing well." Madelyn mumbles in joy. "What of -.." She cut herself off, grinning creepily.

Madison was drowsy, still shaking but drowsy.

With me still embracing her.

Madelyn's face went from worry to pure anger. "We're leaving." She glares at me. "Take Marisa and Madison. Derek would take us. Dad would find his damn way home."

I lift Madison hooking an arm under her knees and the other on her back as I push myself up relying on the strength of my legs. Marisa grips onto my arm with both hands, afraid that she might lose me- or her sister- if she lets go.

We make it to the car successfully without losing each other. Marisa even closed her eyes somewhere along the way. I place Madison gently down in the backseat, to calm all the way down and breathe. I shut the door quietly and take my place in the driver's seat while Marisa claims the seat beside mine.

"Does this always happen when you go into crowded areas?" I ask while starting the engine.

It takes a while for her to answer. But then she sighs and shakes her head. "No. It deepens on the situation. Like for a family reunion, this won't happen because everyone is usually spread out, not grouped together around her and she stays by the food table." She explains looking out the window and tracing patterns on the window.

"What if she's dancing in front of a crowd?" We drive off with Madelyn leading in front.

From the corner of my eye, I see her shrug. "You have to ask her for that one. She closes her eyes. She says she imagines dancing by herself. Besides, we don't allow her to dance for many competitions and events." I hum in response. "What?"

"When was the last time this happened?"

Marisa looks up at the roof in deep thought. "Th.. Three? Two years ago?" She drawls out not really sure. "Oh wait! One and a half years ago. I think that one was the worse. I ended up in the hospital and Madison felt really bad. So, she locked herself in the bedroom until Nonna came for vacation." She explains. "Yes, that's why she locks herself in her room, now. To avoid it." She says after noticing my side glance at her.

"I see..." I glance behind at a sleeping at peaceful Madison with her hair falling in her face. Don't worry, there's traffic in front of me.

I swear, I'm a good driver.

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After putting Madison in her room to rest, I wander the house a bit. I knew where a couple areas were, like the library, my favourite place, but I never really looked at the house itself.

"Why in the flipping world did I allow you to marry my daughter?!" I hear my mistress' grandmother yell from downstairs. I think I peeked a bit.

Oh, the master is home.

"Because I was the right person for your daughter?" Mr. Witson announces proudly planting a kiss on his wife's cheek.

I think I can hear Margery's growling from up the stairs.

She points a finger accusingly at him. "But you are the wrong person for her offspring!" She huffs crossing her arms.

"Excuse me?"

I walk away from the scene.

Just keep walking...

Oh look! A fancy door!

With Nicholas standing in front of it?

"Kiddo!"

He jumps looking at me. He now had a huge smile on his face. "Hello! How's Madison?" Is the first thing he asks. He cares a lot.

"She's resting well." He sighs in relief. "Why are you standing in front a door?"

He glances at the door, and then to me, then back at the door. Then back at me. Without a word, he turns and simply walks away.

Okay...

This family has way too many secrets.

I follow him none the less. The journey is terribly quiet with only the sounds of our footsteps.

I stop to look at a black and white framed portrait on the wall. Well three, all in a line, all surrounded by thick gold frames.

The first, a teenage girl high in the air on a swing. Taken from a good angle- from below. Caught at the right moment, like if she wanted to reach higher than the sky. The one in the middle, another teenage girl, but this time sitting in the window looking outside. The little scenery showed that it was in a high class rich area. But the girl looked down, almost I'm guessing in admiration. If it wasn't black and white, I'd probably describe it better. The last one was another girl, way younger than all the rest. She was sat on a tree log in a forest, with, what looked like, a teddy bear in her hands.

I don't think any of them knew that these photos would be taken.

The colours of the photos, black and white, shows some emotion. Sadness? Grief? Everyone looked as though they were down in the gutter and wanted something different with their lives. This filter suited the situation the best.

They had titles written at the bottom, A Little Higher, Down Belong, and Missing out. The names could've used a bit more creativity.

I didn't hear footsteps in front of me when I had stopped. Nicholas is still there. I glance at him as he whirls around to face me. I hear him sigh then mumble words to himself.

"Who took these?" I ask in complete awe, taking my full attention back to the photographs.

"I did." The nine year old says flatly.

"What?" He giggles at my shock.

"Me. I took them."

"Since when?" This family is too talented for their own good. I wonder what their parents do? Is it a form of art as well?

"Different times. Two years ago."

He would've been about 6 or 7years old. I'll let the title thingy slide, for now. "Of whom?"

He exhales loudly. "The first is Madelyn, the Madison and the last-"

"Marisa." My hand unconsciously traces the middle portrait of Madison with a small smile on my face. "When was this taken?"

"When we were in Italy. Madison loved to sit in windows. And I took one at the right moment." He shrugs reaching up to poke it.

"Did you stand underneath the swing?"

"Yea!"

"Weren't you scared that it might've come and hit you?"

"Was I suppose to be?" He tilts his head. "Is it dangerous to stand under someone swinging?"

This boy...

"What about Marisa's photo?"

"It was her birthday." And? He said nothing else. Just a long silence.

"Why did you take them?"

Then it was like what happened in front of that fancy door. He looks at me, then at photographs, then at me, then back at them before simply walking away.

Aren't wealthy and famous families normally happy? Or do we just see what's on the outside instead on what's happening in the home?

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Helloooo!

I missed last week. Whoops! So worry about that. Really want to post it. But it wasn't done.

Anyways, them getting along will start next chapter. Because I'm a quick jumper.

Oh, and trust me. I haven't forgotten about Maddy's arranged marriage. ;)

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~Author