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.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI5HCrz8KuM
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"Sasha! SASHA!"279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsOGrfEprN2
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No response. Just as my anxiety began to spike, her voice came again, faint but steady. "I'm over here."279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWKBQwZxKfv
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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."279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡby3YgTX9bd
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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.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdux09JZY3n
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"Can you believe it?" Sasha whispered, her voice trembling despite her attempt at excitement. "This place has an underground room."279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmVdzPBCzg
279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYEmbnwFoYq
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.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhAmirkuKMW
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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.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdroxQaJoA7
279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbDgoXDcfFC
"Are you okay?" Maya asked, her voice tight with concern.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbjG6ANT9hC
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"Is that an underground room? Sick!" Martin said, his eyes lighting up.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpr63EY59MV
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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."279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmlg0rZbCY3
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"Which book?" Hendrick asked, his tone curious.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFbKVn1KvEZ
279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3q4Y7uicCW
"I think it was Catch-22," Sasha said.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzuc49qJLKS
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"Where does it lead?" Martin pressed.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeYHiASjz4N
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"I haven't looked yet."279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl24erj3ZYd
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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.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlMfT8HE1Fg
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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?"279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqtC2eL2D0
279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡirTI35JlUf
"Are you saying you're not curious about what the Whites are hiding down there?" Martin challenged.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG9SeAzvO0S
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I was. Of course I was. But I had the decency to keep that to myself.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzWmD8CeQja
279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Mvr2FMXP0
"Not even a little," I lied. "And even if I were, it doesn't matter. We're here to clean, not play detective."279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnwUkyiufNb
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"Okay, spoilsport," Martin muttered.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvNbZFiRHzy
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"Very mature," I shot back. "Did you forget why we're here in the first place?"279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQcwxHRkTzx
279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjk6jSdmHDv
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.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZXYVNLc1NR
279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1fPSialee
Cool. But also terrifying.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWEWsW1WbPo
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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.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8u7PUlPJ6L
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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.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUuOJERNvIG
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"Since when do you smoke?" she asked, her tone casual but probing.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlal0MfwZJz
279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAPMSvbLgzp
"Since when do you smoke?" I countered, raising an eyebrow.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGW0bbfaPAa
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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."279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEezQsjz0qS
279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQjp0zvB1hX
"Is it?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQrLKOtrww3
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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."279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnSq3xxa9dh
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I didn't respond immediately, my gaze fixed on the horizon as the sun dipped lower in the sky.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOML632ik3
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"Do you hate me?" Sasha asked suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXP9j1y2eSs
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I turned to look at her, surprised. "Why would I hate you?"279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkzCPSQcGwY
279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNTYbJsYFWA
"Because I was the one who told Maya and the principal about your addiction."279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ETxH9mmQ8
279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmo9mID6yHf
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I don't hate you for that."279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrEZ76zHaEA
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"So you do hate me," she said, her tone half-joking but with an undercurrent of seriousness.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuG2rAhtEeT
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"I don't hate you," I said firmly. "But I've been avoiding the clubhouse for a reason."279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxNpi7qScu
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"Is it because of me and Martin?" she asked, her voice tentative.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZFTAaGBhi
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"It's Hendrick," I said bluntly. "I can't stand his face."279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXDKjy6XYtV
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Sasha gave me a look, her eyes narrowing. "Why can't you be serious for once?"279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡISyrwqdhbE
279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq3K7dGkr93
"I am serious," I said, though my tone was lighter than I intended. "But fine. The school counselor thinks I blame him."279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT4OAyebZnj
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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?"279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡacYBYwRKtd
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I hesitated, the words caught in my throat. "Isn't he?" she pressed, louder this time.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPE9MXHA9vz
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"Yes," I admitted, the word heavy with unspoken resentment.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmN8oVjLjuD
279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMwk1uGl73
Sasha's face darkened, and she turned on her heel, storming back toward the mansion. I grabbed her wrist, stopping her in her tracks.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiVLxpZmzvh
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"Let me go!" she snapped, her voice sharp.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJY0G77RRsg
279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6duJsUGGPI
"Why? So you can punch Hendrick? What good would that do?"279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5o3Ale5HTb
279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KL2BzFubt
"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."279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6u4mfOWjd
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I looked away, my chest tightening. "It doesn't matter what he says. I made my choices."279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuBNfck5tsK
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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."279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvhROGBeiTj
279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5kqpJyMGHx
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."279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy0d1D7aHWW
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Sasha stared at me for a long moment before nodding reluctantly. "Fine."279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRmz4vlKdmS
279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡioLakg6lsL
"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.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdkJmomDLXF
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"Yeah," Sasha said, though her tone was still distant.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0nijk51pKP
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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.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9IbmQaTcVI
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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.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIbgbdVXet5
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