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.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJru9xZmPsM
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"Sasha! SASHA!"143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIbQil9ffeX
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No response. Just as my anxiety began to spike, her voice came again, faint but steady. "I'm over here."143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb5YmQ1kDrO
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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."143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaPHKPJrRdX
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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.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzg4GHWNR8v
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"Can you believe it?" Sasha whispered, her voice trembling despite her attempt at excitement. "This place has an underground room."143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWshHcQz77o
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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.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvXIr9Vnrkb
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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.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBNgKGAoaAK
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"Are you okay?" Maya asked, her voice tight with concern.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgLWpcag5Wu
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"Is that an underground room? Sick!" Martin said, his eyes lighting up.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz8v4IRO3gQ
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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."143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGMbkgA9li9
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"Which book?" Hendrick asked, his tone curious.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn2HH5lSc0n
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"I think it was Catch-22," Sasha said.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqqrjSB5snd
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"Where does it lead?" Martin pressed.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXbOhMMJdPt
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"I haven't looked yet."143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDncn0JGUhM
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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.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOkftqD0lQT
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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?"143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjuZ4hjHrO7
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"Are you saying you're not curious about what the Whites are hiding down there?" Martin challenged.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqQtt3id0si
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I was. Of course I was. But I had the decency to keep that to myself.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiGtdN4gZg4
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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."143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3JoEDQqqDm
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"Okay, spoilsport," Martin muttered.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNOeEJEhmV6
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"Very mature," I shot back. "Did you forget why we're here in the first place?"143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡijKZI54V2P
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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.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvKea6NiBHb
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Cool. But also terrifying.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwcC5NKnrH
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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.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWg0qneqjN
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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.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYPqJwUT5bI
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"Since when do you smoke?" she asked, her tone casual but probing.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzj6jtyGVMP
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"Since when do you smoke?" I countered, raising an eyebrow.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcNPlH9k4hY
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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."143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8C0PuexHf0
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"Is it?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdymrjEeWnD
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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."143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAbviML6Oix
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I didn't respond immediately, my gaze fixed on the horizon as the sun dipped lower in the sky.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhjQfgJDJ7Y
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"Do you hate me?" Sasha asked suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTbLTgYtkj0
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I turned to look at her, surprised. "Why would I hate you?"143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMM0LeE1iSx
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"Because I was the one who told Maya and the principal about your addiction."143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1JY9TGJvHK
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I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I don't hate you for that."143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFghomFVpXi
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"So you do hate me," she said, her tone half-joking but with an undercurrent of seriousness.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeXlcPooYID
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"I don't hate you," I said firmly. "But I've been avoiding the clubhouse for a reason."143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYghRQ23LkT
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"Is it because of me and Martin?" she asked, her voice tentative.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxpOTGbwJ1Q
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"It's Hendrick," I said bluntly. "I can't stand his face."143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5IgAXyrnxS
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Sasha gave me a look, her eyes narrowing. "Why can't you be serious for once?"143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOSAUI9WtWV
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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."143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ313kv8WKhW
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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?"143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvWpwREf1A
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I hesitated, the words caught in my throat. "Isn't he?" she pressed, louder this time.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡasZ6wcHk5k
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"Yes," I admitted, the word heavy with unspoken resentment.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNd6FhmNIv7
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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.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuHmJruW0PY
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"Let me go!" she snapped, her voice sharp.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtLYQSZWJeZ
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"Why? So you can punch Hendrick? What good would that do?"143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwTTW2VWvSK
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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."143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWIfHUXvp0M
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I looked away, my chest tightening. "It doesn't matter what he says. I made my choices."143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡereiFAgXZ7
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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."143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8FiZWukQM7
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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."143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3roGkrLDjU
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Sasha stared at me for a long moment before nodding reluctantly. "Fine."143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡajEW7DEWKx
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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.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc4P0aeSv15
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"Yeah," Sasha said, though her tone was still distant.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDegZfrRxHh
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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.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtTe9kpBQvn
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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.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2fOVsUq6iT
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