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.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIdOoMTFuRd
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"Sasha! SASHA!"281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv38ZmeHWVA
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No response. Just as my anxiety began to spike, her voice came again, faint but steady. "I'm over here."281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRmpqunHSM0
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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."281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzwKXXPMVy8
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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.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaZZl24cKGh
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"Can you believe it?" Sasha whispered, her voice trembling despite her attempt at excitement. "This place has an underground room."281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXeNr3qJAR8
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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.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxT6PicYBvd
281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSr3K6I54zf
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.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm8yqR5cyLK
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"Are you okay?" Maya asked, her voice tight with concern.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfR88kRLHqq
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"Is that an underground room? Sick!" Martin said, his eyes lighting up.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHGUsQsUcnx
281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSA7tXNZcie
"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."281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNAzZDbsOy8
281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyera811QUJ
"Which book?" Hendrick asked, his tone curious.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpIFymBm8Tw
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"I think it was Catch-22," Sasha said.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtoJd9lrVic
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"Where does it lead?" Martin pressed.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUxF7UaWrgF
281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAn7wptlGMv
"I haven't looked yet."281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnf39RP6EJE
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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.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkyk8jyJR27
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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?"281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jKFiS2t6V
281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVeFHn7XJKm
"Are you saying you're not curious about what the Whites are hiding down there?" Martin challenged.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWdlj0adHUA
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I was. Of course I was. But I had the decency to keep that to myself.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxrAaq1SRVB
281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCLsJTksxPm
"Not even a little," I lied. "And even if I were, it doesn't matter. We're here to clean, not play detective."281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡby9ehCcBQ3
281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPUOUztPz3Q
"Okay, spoilsport," Martin muttered.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwC238xzkHq
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"Very mature," I shot back. "Did you forget why we're here in the first place?"281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO1xgcx5ZUj
281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0vnWPquGkc
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.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVaiFgDWIi3
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Cool. But also terrifying.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9fIPtv66jy
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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.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn0lEhrmC4L
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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.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbHVJ43SEnv
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"Since when do you smoke?" she asked, her tone casual but probing.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyWHGwBXjdt
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"Since when do you smoke?" I countered, raising an eyebrow.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9DROIhL8oJ
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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."281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5roYyzXA1Y
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"Is it?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSgnXI1w6sv
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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."281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNFuASN4Hdz
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I didn't respond immediately, my gaze fixed on the horizon as the sun dipped lower in the sky.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuYxmBuZwOQ
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"Do you hate me?" Sasha asked suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBUmKGnVWrk
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I turned to look at her, surprised. "Why would I hate you?"281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3aJEaefxpi
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"Because I was the one who told Maya and the principal about your addiction."281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvICwY3dFZF
281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOEZWL6bnCs
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I don't hate you for that."281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkp9ZO18mCT
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"So you do hate me," she said, her tone half-joking but with an undercurrent of seriousness.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ56KK3JdAKk
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"I don't hate you," I said firmly. "But I've been avoiding the clubhouse for a reason."281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXxxIpHVpCh
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"Is it because of me and Martin?" she asked, her voice tentative.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRWgL3bHThh
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"It's Hendrick," I said bluntly. "I can't stand his face."281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTYhBxx7dk
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Sasha gave me a look, her eyes narrowing. "Why can't you be serious for once?"281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQxpjfXZI5s
281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPggO3HSUog
"I am serious," I said, though my tone was lighter than I intended. "But fine. The school counselor thinks I blame him."281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡckOPPXvZ7E
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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?"281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqPN0aNk9XJ
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I hesitated, the words caught in my throat. "Isn't he?" she pressed, louder this time.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡakVG8DD1zH
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"Yes," I admitted, the word heavy with unspoken resentment.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡniEQAT2p0o
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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.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiJ9EdFn93g
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"Let me go!" she snapped, her voice sharp.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC982FJbXbf
281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx3aCIxVkA0
"Why? So you can punch Hendrick? What good would that do?"281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk1Qc01OZc8
281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1yvswKB3Q8
"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."281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdP3ZTznQpq
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I looked away, my chest tightening. "It doesn't matter what he says. I made my choices."281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeYYFNkH0kc
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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."281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjijsAhoJ3A
281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE1LxNeWvVQ
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."281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡym5Oyhsjro
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Sasha stared at me for a long moment before nodding reluctantly. "Fine."281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtHPjemXEO0
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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.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQxFzxqd56a
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"Yeah," Sasha said, though her tone was still distant.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWz28eRs22r
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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.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtnHmRbCqzK
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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.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡquwwajCuSB
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