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.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp0KOYgVZnE
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"Sasha! SASHA!"200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSMGoa0sMer
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No response. Just as my anxiety began to spike, her voice came again, faint but steady. "I'm over here."200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbBHEuLxeLu
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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."200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtLUFdi41el
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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.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ99bg9q1jgF
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"Can you believe it?" Sasha whispered, her voice trembling despite her attempt at excitement. "This place has an underground room."200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMiTbq8Ns2s
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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.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE1pnO8Ilzi
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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.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWRuT9qJgiy
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"Are you okay?" Maya asked, her voice tight with concern.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPhLe8qp5Wa
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"Is that an underground room? Sick!" Martin said, his eyes lighting up.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3hoom2ilut
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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."200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6p2prpOKJP
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"Which book?" Hendrick asked, his tone curious.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSZotB4SC1p
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"I think it was Catch-22," Sasha said.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk5Ubuh2e6P
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"Where does it lead?" Martin pressed.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA27Aucnrs8
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"I haven't looked yet."200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡinLJNYTd6E
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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.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9SjxRz55sU
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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?"200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtHctZfb7GP
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"Are you saying you're not curious about what the Whites are hiding down there?" Martin challenged.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUQ4lilHHEw
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I was. Of course I was. But I had the decency to keep that to myself.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQkEUokV9t8
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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."200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqdw9xW5tMF
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"Okay, spoilsport," Martin muttered.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ04QMt0OrPh
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"Very mature," I shot back. "Did you forget why we're here in the first place?"200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhlCLQmIuWv
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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.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMjNEWpiMM
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Cool. But also terrifying.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn8Jad0By74
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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.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe3xw8d9LEe
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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.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuz1qv5qQB3
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"Since when do you smoke?" she asked, her tone casual but probing.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcgqoQWRqBJ
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"Since when do you smoke?" I countered, raising an eyebrow.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn8WrQJePVH
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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."200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4MjqYxDIsp
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"Is it?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDHIHTakmen
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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."200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHwVxyD3Npr
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I didn't respond immediately, my gaze fixed on the horizon as the sun dipped lower in the sky.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYVqM1j9fK
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"Do you hate me?" Sasha asked suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaCydpQeaV0
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I turned to look at her, surprised. "Why would I hate you?"200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50Fvbf8PeV
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"Because I was the one who told Maya and the principal about your addiction."200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡptwF2o7mP0
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I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I don't hate you for that."200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmy1RAwbXVg
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"So you do hate me," she said, her tone half-joking but with an undercurrent of seriousness.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWu8a5jaOJ6
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"I don't hate you," I said firmly. "But I've been avoiding the clubhouse for a reason."200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQQw22xPIdj
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"Is it because of me and Martin?" she asked, her voice tentative.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy89HEhuiBZ
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"It's Hendrick," I said bluntly. "I can't stand his face."200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66iuChULE8
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Sasha gave me a look, her eyes narrowing. "Why can't you be serious for once?"200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ry40cuzB2
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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."200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡskTbczq9NA
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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?"200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj9zup5j5EG
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I hesitated, the words caught in my throat. "Isn't he?" she pressed, louder this time.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa537ebIn1g
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"Yes," I admitted, the word heavy with unspoken resentment.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsVb1XTxJpL
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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.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3qW3kymEA9
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"Let me go!" she snapped, her voice sharp.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIgTC7w8mWd
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"Why? So you can punch Hendrick? What good would that do?"200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtygtFkCL4a
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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."200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuh6S8E4IMY
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I looked away, my chest tightening. "It doesn't matter what he says. I made my choices."200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡes9mFW2T3r
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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."200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoHhXTl2NYS
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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."200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy24Z7yqVa8
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Sasha stared at me for a long moment before nodding reluctantly. "Fine."200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYmB4HkHY10
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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.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5pP2VcVuCV
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"Yeah," Sasha said, though her tone was still distant.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm6P4aavXnX
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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.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHW1l9uOFKQ
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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.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyjYqJuIuM5
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------
Penana
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