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.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwDhRvCohjY
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"Sasha! SASHA!"120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrxrYuZ9bTB
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No response. Just as my anxiety began to spike, her voice came again, faint but steady. "I'm over here."120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7B1HUAliJ6
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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."120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuxSVyjUe1y
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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.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp5M74EZbXn
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"Can you believe it?" Sasha whispered, her voice trembling despite her attempt at excitement. "This place has an underground room."120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVcz3HBn6XB
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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.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX76iryeeRN
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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.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwUjQSR0C5D
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"Are you okay?" Maya asked, her voice tight with concern.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1VBBV2pPAn
120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVisCOpeqhy
"Is that an underground room? Sick!" Martin said, his eyes lighting up.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbmIakTEATW
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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."120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaelvdy68OC
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"Which book?" Hendrick asked, his tone curious.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlixno5GfIN
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"I think it was Catch-22," Sasha said.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡClBTAxERtI
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"Where does it lead?" Martin pressed.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡezxnRMQ9O0
120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa2fIWUPauB
"I haven't looked yet."120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozvTCPx7wI
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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.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeIT6M6d6Ll
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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?"120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpOt9rWw1W7
120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4CPGhHOcRw
"Are you saying you're not curious about what the Whites are hiding down there?" Martin challenged.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXlb2DBX4Hu
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I was. Of course I was. But I had the decency to keep that to myself.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlucztZcoj9
120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxFjheCmDT2
"Not even a little," I lied. "And even if I were, it doesn't matter. We're here to clean, not play detective."120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFTeloXffD
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"Okay, spoilsport," Martin muttered.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4awSXnduj8
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"Very mature," I shot back. "Did you forget why we're here in the first place?"120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhpTphurkyN
120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡftFQbSBEi3
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.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnlP9zYzjGK
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Cool. But also terrifying.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSJixCEs24V
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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.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡapkKDlD0g3
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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.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBVYYAuIweu
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"Since when do you smoke?" she asked, her tone casual but probing.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGlXlKgUzUY
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"Since when do you smoke?" I countered, raising an eyebrow.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv3a2cV0UFo
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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."120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIjzFuGaGVh
120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPW1C5jyJCF
"Is it?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRkhG9S3lSp
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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."120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvVxxQ38ET
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I didn't respond immediately, my gaze fixed on the horizon as the sun dipped lower in the sky.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5LDU9OU5a
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"Do you hate me?" Sasha asked suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcfO6y8oUNq
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I turned to look at her, surprised. "Why would I hate you?"120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvl9m3mm0va
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"Because I was the one who told Maya and the principal about your addiction."120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBirIHNTSnK
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I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I don't hate you for that."120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq2GEu5ouRA
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"So you do hate me," she said, her tone half-joking but with an undercurrent of seriousness.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPHWWbqaoJ
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"I don't hate you," I said firmly. "But I've been avoiding the clubhouse for a reason."120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ33DXpkXdL
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"Is it because of me and Martin?" she asked, her voice tentative.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡftveE1qL9C
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"It's Hendrick," I said bluntly. "I can't stand his face."120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlwZaasD8hb
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Sasha gave me a look, her eyes narrowing. "Why can't you be serious for once?"120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3XQni3mxxK
120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRZWVj8sxO5
"I am serious," I said, though my tone was lighter than I intended. "But fine. The school counselor thinks I blame him."120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnAVf3cDWz8
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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?"120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCAP7WLSsXM
120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWZ4PegnawS
I hesitated, the words caught in my throat. "Isn't he?" she pressed, louder this time.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWcGptEGker
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"Yes," I admitted, the word heavy with unspoken resentment.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnjXzZgb3BF
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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.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnPD8RcmkSR
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"Let me go!" she snapped, her voice sharp.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgkApYF2brW
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"Why? So you can punch Hendrick? What good would that do?"120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiE1TRqAVst
120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmAsGjpElTT
"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."120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1JGX0j8pbc
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I looked away, my chest tightening. "It doesn't matter what he says. I made my choices."120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAPVx7C2fpc
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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."120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMfG46NkIpp
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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."120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVmZEhX6xRr
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Sasha stared at me for a long moment before nodding reluctantly. "Fine."120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ7iRsbSN9R
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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.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPtiSpsFH5
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"Yeah," Sasha said, though her tone was still distant.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXKZebIY6L7
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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.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaaIXMIxiyC
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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.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrAI3F1lia5
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------8964 copyright protection116ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfsoklZZWg 維尼

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