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.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPiFndU1dPY
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"Sasha! SASHA!"115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFoLjFExVmz
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No response. Just as my anxiety began to spike, her voice came again, faint but steady. "I'm over here."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmb5JQ0VHy3
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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."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtoaXHlxu5X
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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.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3X6sN2CCe8
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"Can you believe it?" Sasha whispered, her voice trembling despite her attempt at excitement. "This place has an underground room."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW9QcdNdyPm
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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.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaupMESKI83
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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.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiC4tYQj5ES
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"Are you okay?" Maya asked, her voice tight with concern.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKN5JFlXhaB
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"Is that an underground room? Sick!" Martin said, his eyes lighting up.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3idJHVBx0r
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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."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡya0hgJQBTL
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"Which book?" Hendrick asked, his tone curious.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGDQNDBXz9O
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"I think it was Catch-22," Sasha said.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQDH4va7QDA
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"Where does it lead?" Martin pressed.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ATJIIOtdd
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"I haven't looked yet."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcVm46kkyg1
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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.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT6XxfX7Ebm
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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?"115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1hfcIqH8Xr
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"Are you saying you're not curious about what the Whites are hiding down there?" Martin challenged.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkY3s3phbZr
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I was. Of course I was. But I had the decency to keep that to myself.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEVCU2XeWbC
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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."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk4qam0yQiK
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"Okay, spoilsport," Martin muttered.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJwTBaFXzyK
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"Very mature," I shot back. "Did you forget why we're here in the first place?"115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2x2WaAYlyR
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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.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3vCV7IJssM
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Cool. But also terrifying.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Mf34qJT6y
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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.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4hd8Mcv9aw
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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.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡow4jhXBBiP
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"Since when do you smoke?" she asked, her tone casual but probing.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLLevUBkebg
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"Since when do you smoke?" I countered, raising an eyebrow.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe5aKVOQwx0
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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."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTxqzpMWP2r
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"Is it?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxDgBGb2ogq
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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."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZrRq1D1jzH
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I didn't respond immediately, my gaze fixed on the horizon as the sun dipped lower in the sky.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdZrf1UaFuF
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"Do you hate me?" Sasha asked suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYeNS0G61F
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I turned to look at her, surprised. "Why would I hate you?"115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF6sdDzPb5D
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"Because I was the one who told Maya and the principal about your addiction."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12y89idXm5
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I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I don't hate you for that."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡneZGjcTslX
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"So you do hate me," she said, her tone half-joking but with an undercurrent of seriousness.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPl9JCeEl5W
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"I don't hate you," I said firmly. "But I've been avoiding the clubhouse for a reason."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTqYQSdcbUJ
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"Is it because of me and Martin?" she asked, her voice tentative.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxqjkzAclYG
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"It's Hendrick," I said bluntly. "I can't stand his face."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSX5jB800V1
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Sasha gave me a look, her eyes narrowing. "Why can't you be serious for once?"115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUA0129XrAN
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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."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSwjDJfpu0
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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?"115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHshVNaHiNy
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I hesitated, the words caught in my throat. "Isn't he?" she pressed, louder this time.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaPOGbPhadi
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"Yes," I admitted, the word heavy with unspoken resentment.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8KLnVRiS7M
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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.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX8hULZlQYf
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"Let me go!" she snapped, her voice sharp.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXvo3OdkoXq
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"Why? So you can punch Hendrick? What good would that do?"115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNI81EguGAT
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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."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzz3tUI4tfV
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I looked away, my chest tightening. "It doesn't matter what he says. I made my choices."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJNpCaskOxO
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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."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpj4twXDgMD
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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."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5JdhRHrMeD
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Sasha stared at me for a long moment before nodding reluctantly. "Fine."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjWwq2p1zef
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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.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWHaGYanesV
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"Yeah," Sasha said, though her tone was still distant.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM1ldIwQeL5
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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.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhBZtXkqw47
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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.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx7yrnYbi4w
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------
Penana
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