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.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtHmVTjZMhA
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"Sasha! SASHA!"285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwNrMpNkMBI
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No response. Just as my anxiety began to spike, her voice came again, faint but steady. "I'm over here."285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ59WP2xzeOD
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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."285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ382X7EIrrD
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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.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM917nY8Wi6
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"Can you believe it?" Sasha whispered, her voice trembling despite her attempt at excitement. "This place has an underground room."285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8e5lt3HCia
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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.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhONGxFvRtW
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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.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfjUq32akkP
285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6pZphrLwQ2
"Are you okay?" Maya asked, her voice tight with concern.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdXYRuvPivD
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"Is that an underground room? Sick!" Martin said, his eyes lighting up.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTJCuqVVo7g
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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."285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8oMvLis32x
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"Which book?" Hendrick asked, his tone curious.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUXCBES8DPX
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"I think it was Catch-22," Sasha said.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLVix4mjxxe
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"Where does it lead?" Martin pressed.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDP67nnAn4J
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"I haven't looked yet."285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlu14DdJVEc
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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.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr78BXMxc1p
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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?"285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlX8mGhsoE5
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"Are you saying you're not curious about what the Whites are hiding down there?" Martin challenged.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrK48erHZ4W
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I was. Of course I was. But I had the decency to keep that to myself.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVgSlnCVai
285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi24WTlCvPw
"Not even a little," I lied. "And even if I were, it doesn't matter. We're here to clean, not play detective."285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡghOaEH29Fm
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"Okay, spoilsport," Martin muttered.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8PsHmqX5BU
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"Very mature," I shot back. "Did you forget why we're here in the first place?"285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRBeba9uxIW
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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.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDvymGBLVWy
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Cool. But also terrifying.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7DLQqO89EY
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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.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgnXgYB9b9G
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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.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHI7NHHjjnA
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"Since when do you smoke?" she asked, her tone casual but probing.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaJABgkTB2V
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"Since when do you smoke?" I countered, raising an eyebrow.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZyMi4wL33i
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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."285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBfLNF4dBSb
285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf2jAprcS9N
"Is it?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUAJ3D5uaA3
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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."285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkBc8npaw7
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I didn't respond immediately, my gaze fixed on the horizon as the sun dipped lower in the sky.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvEJZJ3p3aA
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"Do you hate me?" Sasha asked suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAxeCUxruLc
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I turned to look at her, surprised. "Why would I hate you?"285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ6rP2Z43Ko
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"Because I was the one who told Maya and the principal about your addiction."285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5K8gQOOuii
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I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I don't hate you for that."285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgxxLm4Iey6
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"So you do hate me," she said, her tone half-joking but with an undercurrent of seriousness.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdtXYpWztxN
285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ZcjsKkLOd
"I don't hate you," I said firmly. "But I've been avoiding the clubhouse for a reason."285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8KjQk6pMQ
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"Is it because of me and Martin?" she asked, her voice tentative.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtrp03ULkt6
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"It's Hendrick," I said bluntly. "I can't stand his face."285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVDQxcZ93ey
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Sasha gave me a look, her eyes narrowing. "Why can't you be serious for once?"285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvINHMdHra
285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcgcON7FFmp
"I am serious," I said, though my tone was lighter than I intended. "But fine. The school counselor thinks I blame him."285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfpPo41NxC
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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?"285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwjzmHZxPZE
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I hesitated, the words caught in my throat. "Isn't he?" she pressed, louder this time.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXGNffBTRby
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"Yes," I admitted, the word heavy with unspoken resentment.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡavHqyoxUkw
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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.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhqd31qk8GV
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"Let me go!" she snapped, her voice sharp.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNmlOtDZz7V
285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqXNvX1UuCb
"Why? So you can punch Hendrick? What good would that do?"285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjSB2YN5qn7
285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDUzTvvwXZk
"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."285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWefQZm5dpv
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I looked away, my chest tightening. "It doesn't matter what he says. I made my choices."285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwynGk8OEXK
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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."285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡztm6xxpWyq
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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."285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUIVJIATztL
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Sasha stared at me for a long moment before nodding reluctantly. "Fine."285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLnLsCgbIJU
285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7dRSu8Owk3
"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.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNuq9FuuDPe
285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmanqOq6VDL
"Yeah," Sasha said, though her tone was still distant.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtOL0tSg8bT
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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.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡikkHkRyz5O
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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.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡik3YzE5Bb3
285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDlFKK9TIKl
------
Penana
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