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.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ85qghipUf7
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"Sasha! SASHA!"179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjrMj8lG0UN
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No response. Just as my anxiety began to spike, her voice came again, faint but steady. "I'm over here."179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnISlhExpJF
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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."179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMmaeAPjSyn
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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.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0fP0UPJs3
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"Can you believe it?" Sasha whispered, her voice trembling despite her attempt at excitement. "This place has an underground room."179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡklsGOybTA7
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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.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlbPVib8TO9
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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.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPolNJCkUmI
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"Are you okay?" Maya asked, her voice tight with concern.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnkpk9eudbj
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"Is that an underground room? Sick!" Martin said, his eyes lighting up.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡamCkbzBi7M
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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."179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9EazCdIufK
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"Which book?" Hendrick asked, his tone curious.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdgQJgTvWrT
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"I think it was Catch-22," Sasha said.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2su5Hdorb
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"Where does it lead?" Martin pressed.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6AAa9cU4fY
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"I haven't looked yet."179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeV4af3mZxt
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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.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJPhuyygrpq
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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?"179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ67D6yN1JG1
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"Are you saying you're not curious about what the Whites are hiding down there?" Martin challenged.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzBShNKUpcg
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I was. Of course I was. But I had the decency to keep that to myself.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZJUBfdjiSm
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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."179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKNJWpHkoJB
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"Okay, spoilsport," Martin muttered.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu2UpjJn9wJ
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"Very mature," I shot back. "Did you forget why we're here in the first place?"179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeC9BDlQ4wd
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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.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKxi2sGZWm5
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Cool. But also terrifying.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4gGNbYEFh2
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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.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv9kL5LoHuZ
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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.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVeSUciTux
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"Since when do you smoke?" she asked, her tone casual but probing.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDvhUFb1vH
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"Since when do you smoke?" I countered, raising an eyebrow.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKX4cfNZia
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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."179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdhjCetZgjV
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"Is it?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKU36ZhIpEY
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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."179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ937E5O9qxh
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I didn't respond immediately, my gaze fixed on the horizon as the sun dipped lower in the sky.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5BiXtEsIDZ
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"Do you hate me?" Sasha asked suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAZTDK0Zchp
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I turned to look at her, surprised. "Why would I hate you?"179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlpujjt2VBK
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"Because I was the one who told Maya and the principal about your addiction."179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHRP8UrNmZr
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I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I don't hate you for that."179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX5SUMaqBiq
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"So you do hate me," she said, her tone half-joking but with an undercurrent of seriousness.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7mKQsjF8T3
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"I don't hate you," I said firmly. "But I've been avoiding the clubhouse for a reason."179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMFophwcDNl
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"Is it because of me and Martin?" she asked, her voice tentative.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZjrYkjXjWX
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"It's Hendrick," I said bluntly. "I can't stand his face."179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ21Dbc5GgpW
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Sasha gave me a look, her eyes narrowing. "Why can't you be serious for once?"179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIyBSkO3njI
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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."179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWWDUKqaSQv
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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?"179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtfFV4ceA7z
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I hesitated, the words caught in my throat. "Isn't he?" she pressed, louder this time.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRzARm5TTko
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"Yes," I admitted, the word heavy with unspoken resentment.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAMu10zb3ab
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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.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIzvcttqCf
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"Let me go!" she snapped, her voice sharp.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBDYrLcgxIK
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEnd1ubHdyT
"Why? So you can punch Hendrick? What good would that do?"179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd2licAi9YW
179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVGTVFYLQI
"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."179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwTdDOa4Ij
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I looked away, my chest tightening. "It doesn't matter what he says. I made my choices."179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW8wz3sALox
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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."179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWrRFr14Pqo
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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."179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrLZRVeJeAh
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Sasha stared at me for a long moment before nodding reluctantly. "Fine."179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡME6uCvIGQ1
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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.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQjxAovZvaW
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"Yeah," Sasha said, though her tone was still distant.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIkoZvFKb52
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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.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKuGuHjkyZz
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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.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0P8sCimhyf
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