The Secret (Boston's Best 1)

Chapter Fifty-Two

Matt

Yesterday when Maddie and I landed and we dumped all of our luggage at the house we both fell asleep instantly. We almost missed the dinner that Oscar arranged for all of us to have, at least I had somehow remembered to set an alarm.

We were going to go to the beach afterwards because Maddie has said a few times now how much the beach is her favourite place to be anywhere, but it was way too crowded and not worth the effort.

But I've promised her that we'll go to a beach back home even though they aren't that nice.

Today, though, I'm shitting myself.

We're sitting in the back of an SUV that is bringing us to the facility that manages the refugees in the program.

Today, I see for myself with my own two eyes the amount of work and dedication that was put into my parents' life work that caused their death.

I might be acting a little melodramatic but I guess that's just the severity of the issue. There isn't even really an issue and I am kind of just being dramatic and I fully blame that on hanging around with Alex too much. Kid is the most dramatic person I know, and actually Mads could be challenging him on that crown –and I could end up topping both of them if I keep this up.

I didn't even realise that I was holding onto the lens of my camera, zooming in and out on it, until Maddie puts her hand on top of mine.

"Matt," She says, looking into my eyes like she can hear every thought I have – sometimes I do think she's a witch and can read my mind. "Relax. You have nothing to worry about. Remember I spoke to Zara on the phone last night? She's a lovely woman, and she only spoke highly of your parents and the work and the haven that they created. You're gonna be fine."

I nod and smile at her before turning away and opening my window. I stick my camera that I bring for travel –the Canon EOS M200, and start to take some pictures of my surroundings  and I sneak a few of Maddie too when she isn't looking.

My dad got me into photography when I was about eight. I don't actually know why. He never took pictures nor did anyone else in my family, and I was already really into football by then.

He got me just a cheap small camera for Christmas that year and he asked if I wanted to learn how to be good at it, I said yes and the rest was history.

Every birthday or Christmas from that year until they died he got me a new camera or lens or something to do with it.

I've won a few competitions and a few of my pictures are in the Brown, LLC. offices around the world, I even helped out at the yearbook committee sometimes.

Basically, photography became my escape from reality. I love football, I really do. But sometimes it becomes really stressful and even just everyday life is stressful and the way I could capture the most beautiful moments really made me just smile, I suppose.

I smiled in a world that was trying to do anything it could to break me, but I smiled.

The SUV pulls to a stop outside of a huge abandoned looking storage facility. Like seriously it looks grim and gross.

Maddie opens her door and I do the same on my side and we step out and stand beside one another just staring up at the massive building.

I say thanks to the driver and he pulls away saying he'll be back in four hours but to call if there's any changes.

I take Mads' hand and interlock our fingers as we start to walk towards the front door, but the doors are barricaded shut and won't open.

Maddie pushes against it again, "That's weird. Why would it be locked? Zara's expecting us."