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.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmfQ5MpLPWZ
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"Sasha! SASHA!"10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN4PTLbNwvh
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No response. Just as my anxiety began to spike, her voice came again, faint but steady. "I'm over here."10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn4s9VQiaDu
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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."10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKCHxiTYhmI
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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.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡemNWTsZpkc
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"Can you believe it?" Sasha whispered, her voice trembling despite her attempt at excitement. "This place has an underground room."10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5FJzUtemQS
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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.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhDLFxcrhpR
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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.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPhr3lG1Fn4
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"Are you okay?" Maya asked, her voice tight with concern.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVX4xPxky4N
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"Is that an underground room? Sick!" Martin said, his eyes lighting up.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡazn6NS5bX7
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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."10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnxJtpNx3oY
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"Which book?" Hendrick asked, his tone curious.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZXo4Mae8xi
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"I think it was Catch-22," Sasha said.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBpEyAgNK96
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"Where does it lead?" Martin pressed.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9TyTRtyym4
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"I haven't looked yet."10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbWk5LBaoF
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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.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU225QLGTy8
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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?"10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQncrtBups
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"Are you saying you're not curious about what the Whites are hiding down there?" Martin challenged.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa1hBqlUp1x
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I was. Of course I was. But I had the decency to keep that to myself.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZInEJJXbZ
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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."10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTatLJe3Kg5
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"Okay, spoilsport," Martin muttered.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1RiJWLrbbU
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"Very mature," I shot back. "Did you forget why we're here in the first place?"10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCJjEeVzv7G
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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.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgGsmaJQto1
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Cool. But also terrifying.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDCu4kEVUYa
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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.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN0leWpUU51
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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.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR2elcgsyFH
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"Since when do you smoke?" she asked, her tone casual but probing.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3amWRbqxUX
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"Since when do you smoke?" I countered, raising an eyebrow.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJqN0e5tDP6
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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."10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8KXdjiekw8
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"Is it?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7b9Ijt4AnU
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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."10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy9p1eZ5Wnz
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I didn't respond immediately, my gaze fixed on the horizon as the sun dipped lower in the sky.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgmoK1OFkJM
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"Do you hate me?" Sasha asked suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZpCkc1aO1N
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I turned to look at her, surprised. "Why would I hate you?"10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc7iLUHb1Dk
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"Because I was the one who told Maya and the principal about your addiction."10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡugfeA6Va2Y
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I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I don't hate you for that."10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZWFlCZ9ZTl
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"So you do hate me," she said, her tone half-joking but with an undercurrent of seriousness.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZvctXYQbwB
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"I don't hate you," I said firmly. "But I've been avoiding the clubhouse for a reason."10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPNpeb4lRAO
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"Is it because of me and Martin?" she asked, her voice tentative.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx1jFe55QWN
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"It's Hendrick," I said bluntly. "I can't stand his face."10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG34k7GJNU9
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Sasha gave me a look, her eyes narrowing. "Why can't you be serious for once?"10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJatGzriXpY
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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."10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsMc83LFejl
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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?"10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEG5dkvdriP
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I hesitated, the words caught in my throat. "Isn't he?" she pressed, louder this time.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJciulrYVVc
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"Yes," I admitted, the word heavy with unspoken resentment.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuhuH8qC272
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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.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8QeHQLi2YX
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"Let me go!" she snapped, her voice sharp.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDe5UTaFTJL
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"Why? So you can punch Hendrick? What good would that do?"10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz1r8wxl5Xd
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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."10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHAuQvJFZvF
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I looked away, my chest tightening. "It doesn't matter what he says. I made my choices."10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCTbZSArIcC
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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."10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQoOe56sZx
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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."10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuCAtCPWNVO
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Sasha stared at me for a long moment before nodding reluctantly. "Fine."10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoHWHz2dgLx
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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.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNhzTFkL5JF
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"Yeah," Sasha said, though her tone was still distant.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡStIQ39IJkd
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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.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6SgwtR4Qo
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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.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh6BEGGPRFl
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------
Penana
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