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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCNX9Yy5jup
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"Sasha! SASHA!"140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYW9w68lR0Q
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No response. Just as my anxiety began to spike, her voice came again, faint but steady. "I'm over here."140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdWMxazHF1g
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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."140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpG6wzZLejh
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzk22LgEIvj
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"Can you believe it?" Sasha whispered, her voice trembling despite her attempt at excitement. "This place has an underground room."140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAcUwwsBU7Z
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwf8FF3YZOE
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJARjNl6goz
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"Are you okay?" Maya asked, her voice tight with concern.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcA3wx0uaAy
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"Is that an underground room? Sick!" Martin said, his eyes lighting up.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡho0L6BYuEP
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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."140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcgiyJPKMQ7
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"Which book?" Hendrick asked, his tone curious.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwu6Lyz12cn
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"I think it was Catch-22," Sasha said.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡekyCCI4y9d
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"Where does it lead?" Martin pressed.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgAR6rB6XyS
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"I haven't looked yet."140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWVqJI4vmbY
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6bxhM5BbCH
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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?"140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrjVztzqgb9
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"Are you saying you're not curious about what the Whites are hiding down there?" Martin challenged.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxm4CL1y9mZ
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I was. Of course I was. But I had the decency to keep that to myself.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvcjcx4ALUV
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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."140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuQZb5byO87
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"Okay, spoilsport," Martin muttered.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQAkUXpZv1I
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"Very mature," I shot back. "Did you forget why we're here in the first place?"140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZafLnF1RkK
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpCowzIBBVO
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Cool. But also terrifying.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAurpiC4Flh
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjk2bMIShj
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzApdx2K75B
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"Since when do you smoke?" she asked, her tone casual but probing.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVY8H1aaRP3
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"Since when do you smoke?" I countered, raising an eyebrow.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBgoi14WL2J
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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."140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4E9KevNfWY
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"Is it?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXVRQd8wT8q
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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."140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ75dvR4YP6u
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I didn't respond immediately, my gaze fixed on the horizon as the sun dipped lower in the sky.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx2p0ifTuge
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"Do you hate me?" Sasha asked suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIxK0pDJ41s
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I turned to look at her, surprised. "Why would I hate you?"140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlojJGJ382C
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"Because I was the one who told Maya and the principal about your addiction."140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxkrc8nOoMB
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I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I don't hate you for that."140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpx8zAWGh67
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"So you do hate me," she said, her tone half-joking but with an undercurrent of seriousness.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjUur8Qu4FH
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"I don't hate you," I said firmly. "But I've been avoiding the clubhouse for a reason."140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW0LXBfy4Sp
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"Is it because of me and Martin?" she asked, her voice tentative.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKiMmS7mY9t
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"It's Hendrick," I said bluntly. "I can't stand his face."140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡinQYRDDDMd
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Sasha gave me a look, her eyes narrowing. "Why can't you be serious for once?"140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnlsU4ugB8p
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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."140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXzOl979BLa
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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?"140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcnKR0ox3Lg
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I hesitated, the words caught in my throat. "Isn't he?" she pressed, louder this time.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡica2dQNRJu
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"Yes," I admitted, the word heavy with unspoken resentment.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrsp46DFzJc
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1K3FWLVphR
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"Let me go!" she snapped, her voice sharp.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH8EVnuKPLW
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"Why? So you can punch Hendrick? What good would that do?"140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0unrdM43o4
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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."140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9L9NMsCZVR
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I looked away, my chest tightening. "It doesn't matter what he says. I made my choices."140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFXXipLy5MN
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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."140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTSyeh3H2QW
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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."140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9rFd2w8Rml
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Sasha stared at me for a long moment before nodding reluctantly. "Fine."140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsyPbeFvvzx
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQBPhdoke6S
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"Yeah," Sasha said, though her tone was still distant.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4EU9lKMBU
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYFD49bJF7P
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJia1TjYBW
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------
Penana
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