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.117Please respect copyright.PENANAlEAWwLl3eS
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"Sasha! SASHA!"117Please respect copyright.PENANA6KfdHgeLxb
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No response. Just as my anxiety began to spike, her voice came again, faint but steady. "I'm over here."117Please respect copyright.PENANAzJwgywrfNJ
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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."117Please respect copyright.PENANAxk9ubzsq02
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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.117Please respect copyright.PENANAA1OQe5ltsX
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"Can you believe it?" Sasha whispered, her voice trembling despite her attempt at excitement. "This place has an underground room."117Please respect copyright.PENANALvvCqQYNh0
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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.117Please respect copyright.PENANAgZOysU3dRP
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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.117Please respect copyright.PENANArdDnGEK3Ki
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"Are you okay?" Maya asked, her voice tight with concern.117Please respect copyright.PENANAtJGgqpJnFr
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"Is that an underground room? Sick!" Martin said, his eyes lighting up.117Please respect copyright.PENANAupG3k4BBYm
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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."117Please respect copyright.PENANAnkqctnHLWR
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"Which book?" Hendrick asked, his tone curious.117Please respect copyright.PENANAcL7nfrWPcl
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"I think it was Catch-22," Sasha said.117Please respect copyright.PENANAFNl8pBPxl1
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"Where does it lead?" Martin pressed.117Please respect copyright.PENANAOp3Ml2oi9s
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"I haven't looked yet."117Please respect copyright.PENANAMWLwNgneDS
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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.117Please respect copyright.PENANAhdvLU9HGJ8
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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?"117Please respect copyright.PENANA5ueCsGZYHb
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"Are you saying you're not curious about what the Whites are hiding down there?" Martin challenged.117Please respect copyright.PENANAXyMc1el29J
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I was. Of course I was. But I had the decency to keep that to myself.117Please respect copyright.PENANABBLXTe1QCr
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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."117Please respect copyright.PENANATOdpiu3QFM
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"Okay, spoilsport," Martin muttered.117Please respect copyright.PENANAZNAuKWfEb1
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"Very mature," I shot back. "Did you forget why we're here in the first place?"117Please respect copyright.PENANAEgcpvwbj17
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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.117Please respect copyright.PENANA5c0K3Sro1O
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Cool. But also terrifying.117Please respect copyright.PENANAlvN4TykItk
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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.117Please respect copyright.PENANA2ZIbYgVKFr
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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.117Please respect copyright.PENANAyjCZa8XNeE
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"Since when do you smoke?" she asked, her tone casual but probing.117Please respect copyright.PENANAsK5K0nWhAO
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"Since when do you smoke?" I countered, raising an eyebrow.117Please respect copyright.PENANAtuU2yJsXgJ
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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."117Please respect copyright.PENANAjTWwu0SWI8
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"Is it?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.117Please respect copyright.PENANAp3SM8qviUa
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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."117Please respect copyright.PENANAigGmzCpu1w
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I didn't respond immediately, my gaze fixed on the horizon as the sun dipped lower in the sky.117Please respect copyright.PENANAuEStt6IZOE
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"Do you hate me?" Sasha asked suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper.117Please respect copyright.PENANA6lowEBkJxL
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I turned to look at her, surprised. "Why would I hate you?"117Please respect copyright.PENANAuCEG7kze63
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"Because I was the one who told Maya and the principal about your addiction."117Please respect copyright.PENANAFxzWrgZaKp
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I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I don't hate you for that."117Please respect copyright.PENANAruvCyJQvC2
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"So you do hate me," she said, her tone half-joking but with an undercurrent of seriousness.117Please respect copyright.PENANAPHixgB9Vza
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"I don't hate you," I said firmly. "But I've been avoiding the clubhouse for a reason."117Please respect copyright.PENANAO2xpz2FkCY
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"Is it because of me and Martin?" she asked, her voice tentative.117Please respect copyright.PENANAwCJBn0SKS2
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"It's Hendrick," I said bluntly. "I can't stand his face."117Please respect copyright.PENANAFeZ5kdQoJP
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Sasha gave me a look, her eyes narrowing. "Why can't you be serious for once?"117Please respect copyright.PENANAdIwHO4jXlX
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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."117Please respect copyright.PENANApxy6X2Y4MS
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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?"117Please respect copyright.PENANAzFCYIE2sUH
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I hesitated, the words caught in my throat. "Isn't he?" she pressed, louder this time.117Please respect copyright.PENANA7URUjfQLFz
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"Yes," I admitted, the word heavy with unspoken resentment.117Please respect copyright.PENANAgWoGimoooL
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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.117Please respect copyright.PENANAGShYCm27Tc
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"Let me go!" she snapped, her voice sharp.117Please respect copyright.PENANAXBZOUaTI9z
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"Why? So you can punch Hendrick? What good would that do?"117Please respect copyright.PENANAGGmUSby6X5
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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."117Please respect copyright.PENANAFWoM5aV1xj
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I looked away, my chest tightening. "It doesn't matter what he says. I made my choices."117Please respect copyright.PENANAQiIFfDzJk4
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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."117Please respect copyright.PENANAxlBLAEI8Jn
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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."117Please respect copyright.PENANA0X3rtg6VTB
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Sasha stared at me for a long moment before nodding reluctantly. "Fine."117Please respect copyright.PENANASfyw44FVvx
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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.117Please respect copyright.PENANAFMBfQXUOgo
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"Yeah," Sasha said, though her tone was still distant.117Please respect copyright.PENANAMBjySAmXPu
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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.117Please respect copyright.PENANAhuoGNBw4dY
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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.117Please respect copyright.PENANAFcYsY6kjmW
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