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.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfePi1deYVU
178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIjiijcAoOV
"Sasha! SASHA!"178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2FMepwCH84
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No response. Just as my anxiety began to spike, her voice came again, faint but steady. "I'm over here."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1SzDAr7oAk
178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA1Shtp2Ylv
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."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMElhkTHpp
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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.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLyHcL3w7Wo
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"Can you believe it?" Sasha whispered, her voice trembling despite her attempt at excitement. "This place has an underground room."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTnsVuRNFRu
178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡal0tu1AvIg
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.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0gBHIUDaBR
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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.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgs33UCKeXO
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"Are you okay?" Maya asked, her voice tight with concern.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1KWN7nKRxM
178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3iVKnZvwxj
"Is that an underground room? Sick!" Martin said, his eyes lighting up.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmnur1P2egS
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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."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6mWwQkTrYv
178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ03gBVhKLxe
"Which book?" Hendrick asked, his tone curious.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf1HXTHpmRi
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"I think it was Catch-22," Sasha said.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSNrVLlC68Q
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"Where does it lead?" Martin pressed.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOMCpKciHBw
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"I haven't looked yet."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx8CrXfE1Yp
178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKZHFW4DHMc
"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.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkbVZBpH4fv
178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTxTgBLNGW4
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?"178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm36pNbadkm
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"Are you saying you're not curious about what the Whites are hiding down there?" Martin challenged.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhsffqLVzeJ
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I was. Of course I was. But I had the decency to keep that to myself.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGmvcuyXTEO
178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnPpM8DHTHR
"Not even a little," I lied. "And even if I were, it doesn't matter. We're here to clean, not play detective."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuaiyOMj7KM
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"Okay, spoilsport," Martin muttered.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnHasq2gdtV
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"Very mature," I shot back. "Did you forget why we're here in the first place?"178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡajxZn2DUlr
178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXrhyX7YC06
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.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFLug7NfeBE
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Cool. But also terrifying.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo5UEA6o5rs
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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.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29x2iYV10f
178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsYdGKdIUFR
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.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡesV066zfcc
178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡERSHRVSPfX
"Since when do you smoke?" she asked, her tone casual but probing.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ48ncTDUSC3
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"Since when do you smoke?" I countered, raising an eyebrow.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8uLDD1NzDM
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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."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQYaRFzvA0q
178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5a9dumCZg0
"Is it?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡif9d8jV9OL
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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."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHUyapB8WYD
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I didn't respond immediately, my gaze fixed on the horizon as the sun dipped lower in the sky.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMRFk0L5BTE
178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeSUvge5KLH
"Do you hate me?" Sasha asked suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTwpxPZjAjL
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I turned to look at her, surprised. "Why would I hate you?"178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFPMi59Xbcv
178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA2e217hZAO
"Because I was the one who told Maya and the principal about your addiction."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBpNoQg6OO3
178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXQAacsmHU
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I don't hate you for that."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoGX4XdjFHg
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"So you do hate me," she said, her tone half-joking but with an undercurrent of seriousness.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq3posb8Oir
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"I don't hate you," I said firmly. "But I've been avoiding the clubhouse for a reason."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLwXIc3K15P
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"Is it because of me and Martin?" she asked, her voice tentative.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwaBG2X8Bc3
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"It's Hendrick," I said bluntly. "I can't stand his face."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhwLWoh1EDE
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Sasha gave me a look, her eyes narrowing. "Why can't you be serious for once?"178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe4svfM1ID2
178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLFU3wou31O
"I am serious," I said, though my tone was lighter than I intended. "But fine. The school counselor thinks I blame him."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqub5kCBk6h
178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOORlm23xUj
"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?"178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡINSxJvx3cs
178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDprA1ENFtR
I hesitated, the words caught in my throat. "Isn't he?" she pressed, louder this time.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuLggA7QYaQ
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"Yes," I admitted, the word heavy with unspoken resentment.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcb9OowzZm4
178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFQNFwqTtCk
Sasha's face darkened, and she turned on her heel, storming back toward the mansion. I grabbed her wrist, stopping her in her tracks.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRUWgXe4M7c
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"Let me go!" she snapped, her voice sharp.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxGf5dTPKjl
178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF5r7CVQF2N
"Why? So you can punch Hendrick? What good would that do?"178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hIyQAYX7G
178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjdF6qDSR55
"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."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4qt9Kev9dr
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I looked away, my chest tightening. "It doesn't matter what he says. I made my choices."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5fssDt40Tz
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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."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiooGd0oHUM
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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."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKokz1KWTlr
178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN3OkIZGzKD
Sasha stared at me for a long moment before nodding reluctantly. "Fine."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPHkKJynNZr
178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw9IvFcxI5M
"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.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiIcf9lIfZJ
178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5JSFImgKYy
"Yeah," Sasha said, though her tone was still distant.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb1c3LUwAx7
178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPxtv1eM2MQ
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.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHGzkpjm802
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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.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpaX75Hc3dD
178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo3CFvcL03Y
------
Penana
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