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.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkUqJezumpS
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"Sasha! SASHA!"227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVaG6FUCM1Z
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No response. Just as my anxiety began to spike, her voice came again, faint but steady. "I'm over here."227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WRGH35F9q
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYUKjJEjMGo
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."227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVUFBAE0Y55
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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.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSMFyHa0jpx
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"Can you believe it?" Sasha whispered, her voice trembling despite her attempt at excitement. "This place has an underground room."227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfXSRAODN5H
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEmaRd8t318
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.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5uuR7aT6nu
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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.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ilSJQ1HGu
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"Are you okay?" Maya asked, her voice tight with concern.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZChCHocU9x
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"Is that an underground room? Sick!" Martin said, his eyes lighting up.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXlTEwGnfgn
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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."227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXBfdp6t2DN
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRK9ZwMbWM6
"Which book?" Hendrick asked, his tone curious.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNKFmFVaIBr
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"I think it was Catch-22," Sasha said.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJhTCZ9nKiR
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"Where does it lead?" Martin pressed.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKrKpS9ZR4j
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"I haven't looked yet."227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlLOuq8iGjF
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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.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4Q5N8N4uz
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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?"227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO42pjJ1zsk
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"Are you saying you're not curious about what the Whites are hiding down there?" Martin challenged.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVQJKz4fnxY
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I was. Of course I was. But I had the decency to keep that to myself.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEaUAph69jo
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTAdsfJD7aj
"Not even a little," I lied. "And even if I were, it doesn't matter. We're here to clean, not play detective."227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuojT4RsXq1
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"Okay, spoilsport," Martin muttered.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrdXkTGAtuK
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"Very mature," I shot back. "Did you forget why we're here in the first place?"227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfdexTZgjt
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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.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJmuTXw7YuH
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Cool. But also terrifying.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Xhzen9E0Q
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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.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKvGuTUOdfx
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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.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYC2MIXJEw8
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"Since when do you smoke?" she asked, her tone casual but probing.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQDN0QXkqXy
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"Since when do you smoke?" I countered, raising an eyebrow.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2CbBYQ2CMN
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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."227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ32qCwDzSc5
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUUSp38BJkR
"Is it?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw88EtadRi7
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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."227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl4iBH39mjM
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I didn't respond immediately, my gaze fixed on the horizon as the sun dipped lower in the sky.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPXrPE2KV2I
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"Do you hate me?" Sasha asked suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAgj7BaG0G4
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I turned to look at her, surprised. "Why would I hate you?"227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nVR14mHIw
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"Because I was the one who told Maya and the principal about your addiction."227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTZL73Wazrm
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I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I don't hate you for that."227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb45DzIWm3y
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"So you do hate me," she said, her tone half-joking but with an undercurrent of seriousness.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡckWu9BCetD
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCDMaEL6w1D
"I don't hate you," I said firmly. "But I've been avoiding the clubhouse for a reason."227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQta8UkX52d
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQnVTicB20
"Is it because of me and Martin?" she asked, her voice tentative.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi0jexXfYlj
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"It's Hendrick," I said bluntly. "I can't stand his face."227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeq7UivuKIw
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSRwbLMBxuB
Sasha gave me a look, her eyes narrowing. "Why can't you be serious for once?"227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGewK1HmJcL
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZWJLAYSiDY
"I am serious," I said, though my tone was lighter than I intended. "But fine. The school counselor thinks I blame him."227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNSQj0RsbfR
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBOKhsD9oy5
"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?"227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8okCHhs8HY
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I hesitated, the words caught in my throat. "Isn't he?" she pressed, louder this time.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2NWsqazBOA
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"Yes," I admitted, the word heavy with unspoken resentment.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjZxXhB9loF
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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.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfnKRzfpa7w
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"Let me go!" she snapped, her voice sharp.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPVo44w0ZOK
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKOFYjn0XsM
"Why? So you can punch Hendrick? What good would that do?"227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMLqjPtSQZt
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR1wfXGIfP4
"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."227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Cs1RPp4RC
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I looked away, my chest tightening. "It doesn't matter what he says. I made my choices."227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdyBATMbv7J
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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."227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNst3lT7oUt
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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."227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXyOrL2ySFM
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Sasha stared at me for a long moment before nodding reluctantly. "Fine."227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTPQJm6xgnW
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ytjzrHItf
"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.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxF6Y6l4dvM
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"Yeah," Sasha said, though her tone was still distant.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6L7EL94J8z
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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.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAZIUohI17y
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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.227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmMeXQPhJf
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqCzZ5iJOPQ
------
Penana
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