I rushed into the mansion with Masha close behind, my heart pounding as I searched for the source of the scream. It had been Sasha's voice, sharp and panicked, cutting through the silence like a knife. I called out her name as soon as we crossed the threshold, my voice echoing off the high ceilings.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtMLrpNNMBE
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"Sasha! SASHA!"119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ65D0iTrjnl
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No response. Just as my anxiety began to spike, her voice came again, faint but steady. "I'm over here."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE8p21DQGxT
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I followed the sound to the study, a room lined with towering bookshelves and heavy wooden furniture. The air felt heavier here, as if the walls themselves were pressing in. At first glance, the room seemed empty, but then Sasha's voice echoed from an unexpected direction. "Behind the bookshelf."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡThMTwT8i0r
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I stepped closer, my pulse quickening as I peered behind the massive structure. Sasha stood on a narrow staircase that descended into darkness, her face pale in the dim light. A faint, cold draft wafted up from below, carrying with it a smell that made my stomach churn—mildew, yes, but something else too, something metallic and sharp.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSiJ4qPxJlB
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"Can you believe it?" Sasha whispered, her voice trembling despite her attempt at excitement. "This place has an underground room."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPTvbTLaJHo
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I stared into the abyss, my heart pounding. The darkness seemed to pulse, as if alive, and for a moment, I thought I heard something—a faint, rhythmic sound, like footsteps echoing from deep below.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqcGDJsuwjy
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Before I could respond, the others filed into the study. Maya, Hendrick, and Martin must have noticed Masha standing by the bookshelf, or perhaps she had pointed them in our direction. Either way, they were suddenly crowding around me, their presence making the room feel even smaller.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm2TuHNZ8W3
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"Are you okay?" Maya asked, her voice tight with concern.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ0x4flaoHu
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"Is that an underground room? Sick!" Martin said, his eyes lighting up.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡez0jgmw0HM
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"I know, right?" Sasha replied, ignoring my glare. "I was checking out some of the books, and one of them triggered this mechanism. The shelf just slid open, and I freaked out."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgGS2u6ZF7N
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"Which book?" Hendrick asked, his tone curious.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcdsMlopT4v
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"I think it was Catch-22," Sasha said.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjsyPYGOV4C
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"Where does it lead?" Martin pressed.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa9sXSNsnXI
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"I haven't looked yet."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCCJewGs5PA
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"Can we explore?" Sasha asked, her eyes darting to Maya, who in turn looked to Hendrick. He exchanged a quick, almost imperceptible smile with Martin before nodding.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnoqZsVnNIE
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Before Maya could respond, I stepped in. "No! Absolutely not!" I said, my voice firm. "Are you guys insane? This isn't our house. We can't just go snooping around. How am I the voice of reason right now?"119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVWxTS6TJPZ
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"Are you saying you're not curious about what the Whites are hiding down there?" Martin challenged.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHanfHhcrIE
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I was. Of course I was. But I had the decency to keep that to myself.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq8fDad2b9D
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"Not even a little," I lied. "And even if I were, it doesn't matter. We're here to clean, not play detective."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKvQoZgE7VP
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"Okay, spoilsport," Martin muttered.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKfCVkbJlTK
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"Very mature," I shot back. "Did you forget why we're here in the first place?"119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbbazbAYXOq
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I reached out to Sasha, helping her up from the staircase. Masha, ever the quiet observer, carefully replaced Catch-22 on the shelf. The mechanism whirred softly, the sound unnaturally smooth, as if the gears hadn't been used in years. The bookshelf slid back into place with a satisfying click that echoed through the room.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ13QalsBnxk
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Cool. But also terrifying.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL3zaqyO07r
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The group drifted back to the living room, but I stayed behind for a moment, my nerves still on edge. I stepped outside, pulling a cigarette from my pocket and lighting it with trembling hands. The cool evening air helped steady me, but my thoughts were still racing.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuyhkSRi9eh
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Sasha joined me a moment later, her presence quiet but unmistakable. She held out her hand, and I passed her the cigarette without a word. She took a drag, exhaling slowly before handing it back.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyWgP84AIUa
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"Since when do you smoke?" she asked, her tone casual but probing.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTFINCa3hXn
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"Since when do you smoke?" I countered, raising an eyebrow.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEL3VYZ9WDU
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She laughed softly, the sound almost lost in the evening breeze. "You know, this is the longest conversation we've had since you got back from rehab."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyG25nAg7ov
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"Is it?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcyCXNtYWKe
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"You've been distant," she said, her voice softening. "I miss having my best friend. And I know Maya misses her sister."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYxIVRZfj87
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I didn't respond immediately, my gaze fixed on the horizon as the sun dipped lower in the sky.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡruJ4a2mJue
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"Do you hate me?" Sasha asked suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwazLM1Mmy
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I turned to look at her, surprised. "Why would I hate you?"119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsfnr0GNPKN
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"Because I was the one who told Maya and the principal about your addiction."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtKmmxXHA0i
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I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I don't hate you for that."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5CxMMarFpL
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"So you do hate me," she said, her tone half-joking but with an undercurrent of seriousness.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ1Lx91LXv2
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"I don't hate you," I said firmly. "But I've been avoiding the clubhouse for a reason."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFz76Pdiqld
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"Is it because of me and Martin?" she asked, her voice tentative.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG2M6C3OJsD
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"It's Hendrick," I said bluntly. "I can't stand his face."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLppyOgylIZ
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Sasha gave me a look, her eyes narrowing. "Why can't you be serious for once?"119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUsalJkBsiu
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"I am serious," I said, though my tone was lighter than I intended. "But fine. The school counselor thinks I blame him."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSS5ACKCKfm
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"Blame him for what?" Sasha asked, her brow furrowing. Then her eyes widened in realization. "He's the one who introduced you to drugs, isn't he?"119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNk2hYd7Sp9
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I hesitated, the words caught in my throat. "Isn't he?" she pressed, louder this time.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLpSAO0pr9P
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"Yes," I admitted, the word heavy with unspoken resentment.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9khtwTsRBu
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Sasha's face darkened, and she turned on her heel, storming back toward the mansion. I grabbed her wrist, stopping her in her tracks.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrSQB1bwslO
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"Let me go!" she snapped, her voice sharp.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRfYg7jJGlc
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"Why? So you can punch Hendrick? What good would that do?"119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV5nE1XRxXd
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"You have no idea the things he's said about you," Sasha said, her voice trembling with anger. "He acts like it was all your fault, like he had nothing to do with it. If only I'd known the truth."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Cz4dBtezK
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I looked away, my chest tightening. "It doesn't matter what he says. I made my choices."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeD3IknMxqE
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"But he made them easier," she shot back, her voice breaking. "He knew what he was doing. And now he acts like he's better than you, like he's some kind of saint."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNy2Em1Yho0
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I didn't respond, my gaze fixed on the horizon. The sun was sinking lower, casting long shadows across the lawn. "Maybe he is better than me," I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper. "But that doesn't change anything. I'm still here. And I'm still trying."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdajQajkYW6
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Sasha stared at me for a long moment before nodding reluctantly. "Fine."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbmZz5W7baM
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"Thank you," I said, offering her a small smile. "Evelyn sure is taking her time with those groceries, huh?" I added, trying to lighten the mood.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaduUtlplfj
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"Yeah," Sasha said, though her tone was still distant.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEcp3hGuUUv
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I sighed and sat down on the ground, the grass surprisingly soft beneath me. "Sit with me," I said, patting the spot beside me. Sasha hesitated before joining me, her shoulders still tense.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ08EWrJRYX9
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The sun was beginning to set, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink. The air was cool, and for a moment, everything felt almost peaceful.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXk0FTpFEmG
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