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.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyazXRwYZtZ
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"Sasha! SASHA!"201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVi3wBML0cU
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No response. Just as my anxiety began to spike, her voice came again, faint but steady. "I'm over here."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuWSF6AjCfN
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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."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvJN1g5ZHQd
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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.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5bx7AKUfHk
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"Can you believe it?" Sasha whispered, her voice trembling despite her attempt at excitement. "This place has an underground room."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2iTOHtJT6w
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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.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyNl69805ze
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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.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjQj1CKxc6j
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"Are you okay?" Maya asked, her voice tight with concern.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXvGiR0vzU3
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"Is that an underground room? Sick!" Martin said, his eyes lighting up.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX9jdKiKpb3
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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."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc6HcMUN7In
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"Which book?" Hendrick asked, his tone curious.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAyUUYz8StP
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"I think it was Catch-22," Sasha said.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDuQYfRAaXo
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"Where does it lead?" Martin pressed.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZjqULhNujb
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"I haven't looked yet."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSTus6bdkA
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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.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKGRX4SS3HX
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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?"201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR25eBKzpm8
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"Are you saying you're not curious about what the Whites are hiding down there?" Martin challenged.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡghxdEgsWmF
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I was. Of course I was. But I had the decency to keep that to myself.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTtEO740Pe0
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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."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPabUaAtElh
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"Okay, spoilsport," Martin muttered.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmlGepeJwB
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"Very mature," I shot back. "Did you forget why we're here in the first place?"201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbwDGfyrsQl
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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.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7nTfrG1yb0
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Cool. But also terrifying.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡugYOisxFxs
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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.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPOYID4Xs0p
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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.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4FLPiOjnRe
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"Since when do you smoke?" she asked, her tone casual but probing.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSoRhlZ8YZb
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"Since when do you smoke?" I countered, raising an eyebrow.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcRnHrVHTdr
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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."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtQpl42U3VP
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"Is it?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAPMBVuvulW
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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."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNpF4nD0zh6
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I didn't respond immediately, my gaze fixed on the horizon as the sun dipped lower in the sky.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmmTLJRbB2b
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"Do you hate me?" Sasha asked suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ69qvkUhshh
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I turned to look at her, surprised. "Why would I hate you?"201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKBxzfw6sJ
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"Because I was the one who told Maya and the principal about your addiction."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡryTnBTTmSY
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I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I don't hate you for that."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSwgyN7jTE0
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"So you do hate me," she said, her tone half-joking but with an undercurrent of seriousness.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCQpWpSqc1E
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"I don't hate you," I said firmly. "But I've been avoiding the clubhouse for a reason."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJHXa1g8yfB
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"Is it because of me and Martin?" she asked, her voice tentative.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPviZBVCmX6
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"It's Hendrick," I said bluntly. "I can't stand his face."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9TQ3R0Jyx0
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Sasha gave me a look, her eyes narrowing. "Why can't you be serious for once?"201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjpiFeaW1tM
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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."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM989LG3pRF
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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?"201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH8mBzfw08S
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I hesitated, the words caught in my throat. "Isn't he?" she pressed, louder this time.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXBcPMT3BWJ
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"Yes," I admitted, the word heavy with unspoken resentment.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ62jPfDwRTW
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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.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtrTYkl8KBY
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"Let me go!" she snapped, her voice sharp.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsYy0sJHxcH
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"Why? So you can punch Hendrick? What good would that do?"201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv2h0brK8eL
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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."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwCeh9ClU6p
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I looked away, my chest tightening. "It doesn't matter what he says. I made my choices."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxVMSu7Zaby
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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."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxKq3wnuP8Q
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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."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3Bzshv3wd
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Sasha stared at me for a long moment before nodding reluctantly. "Fine."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZETj06BuE5
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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.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCKuYKNSwT2
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"Yeah," Sasha said, though her tone was still distant.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvJPmGqqr81
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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.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQJc7buYSGp
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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.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUC2FlLpkho
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