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.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHpDtRitwW
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"Sasha! SASHA!"142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqWhL1wMIRJ
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No response. Just as my anxiety began to spike, her voice came again, faint but steady. "I'm over here."142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIbU2AyhKoq
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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."142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZfgqGOYEm
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqUPLjdsTjq
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.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyGdo5WjoeM
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQi9Gg90jsA
"Can you believe it?" Sasha whispered, her voice trembling despite her attempt at excitement. "This place has an underground room."142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfWpENCUPzD
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDPXHAan8Xw
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.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡes9RbtR1kx
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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.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxmZRoUHaCw
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"Are you okay?" Maya asked, her voice tight with concern.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJ0sR0tdOM
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2iGGz9wvL5
"Is that an underground room? Sick!" Martin said, his eyes lighting up.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5GzlD3uaDf
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEP4Ag7mK9P
"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."142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡll34418lcI
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdDbf0xpZtN
"Which book?" Hendrick asked, his tone curious.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ7YMaAXRes
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"I think it was Catch-22," Sasha said.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZjCWkD5d58
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"Where does it lead?" Martin pressed.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4GSxtFgkW
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJWeX0Ywexf
"I haven't looked yet."142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2fBMqxlOA
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTT6KtIcjqi
"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.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKNWjAjcAqV
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRP1ZbUviHI
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?"142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVxVtHXPtrX
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkUaTRFgLdm
"Are you saying you're not curious about what the Whites are hiding down there?" Martin challenged.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYYfXv21hRl
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGHYESfZPXK
I was. Of course I was. But I had the decency to keep that to myself.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNYLwn4PfpM
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSORhL8J4Va
"Not even a little," I lied. "And even if I were, it doesn't matter. We're here to clean, not play detective."142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSmHnYnVNzo
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4eLpYNRefl
"Okay, spoilsport," Martin muttered.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYDqOW3nzd
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHzF91TeJs2
"Very mature," I shot back. "Did you forget why we're here in the first place?"142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIGtIaDr5NZ
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz12yVKJYPV
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.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6CWBouQEZn
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Cool. But also terrifying.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcAlhpatZIh
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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.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrRPWVsMgYp
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaxFaeTMbbK
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.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQhcTkeu47C
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"Since when do you smoke?" she asked, her tone casual but probing.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfPuzMOmqCv
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5DbCNp1MIt
"Since when do you smoke?" I countered, raising an eyebrow.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgiKjYHzfMT
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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."142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Pr4URkU2H
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs2jC4GXqVV
"Is it?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0iHmQi3Kcn
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzEpN1JLfIQ
"You've been distant," she said, her voice softening. "I miss having my best friend. And I know Maya misses her sister."142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡugseAteDj3
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I didn't respond immediately, my gaze fixed on the horizon as the sun dipped lower in the sky.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEtb1wmLp0E
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMEh3gJMzov
"Do you hate me?" Sasha asked suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt26oT5ertn
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I turned to look at her, surprised. "Why would I hate you?"142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvXSyQyQt1P
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"Because I was the one who told Maya and the principal about your addiction."142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNs79jld6hW
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGlOyzz3Ouo
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I don't hate you for that."142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFwCc1ro7Ov
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"So you do hate me," she said, her tone half-joking but with an undercurrent of seriousness.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfu6EROw4Z8
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgeiTp1rzjB
"I don't hate you," I said firmly. "But I've been avoiding the clubhouse for a reason."142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSrW40n3HuQ
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIjanbSookV
"Is it because of me and Martin?" she asked, her voice tentative.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDM0nM1m5Ud
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"It's Hendrick," I said bluntly. "I can't stand his face."142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEk9xtdcy1l
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Sasha gave me a look, her eyes narrowing. "Why can't you be serious for once?"142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjhFhWXh0qF
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIrELzqS6U
"I am serious," I said, though my tone was lighter than I intended. "But fine. The school counselor thinks I blame him."142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhFMbQm2nfV
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKvwwaSqPrG
"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?"142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOyIXK9L8tW
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRevO1INWnZ
I hesitated, the words caught in my throat. "Isn't he?" she pressed, louder this time.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUbzvMc0p6E
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"Yes," I admitted, the word heavy with unspoken resentment.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5KcedajICB
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡslMl1RV2EJ
Sasha's face darkened, and she turned on her heel, storming back toward the mansion. I grabbed her wrist, stopping her in her tracks.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaCDjVBfgGv
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"Let me go!" she snapped, her voice sharp.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDH4kLSZwdx
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIibNNv2rSF
"Why? So you can punch Hendrick? What good would that do?"142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvyzyetZ0uN
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8gxfU7tyRp
"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."142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTJWV9n1DFL
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I looked away, my chest tightening. "It doesn't matter what he says. I made my choices."142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5oAK0pWrrx
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVR24cTMMF0
"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."142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOHAw3FEQEo
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnWjDMQCzM5
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."142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvXoiEyedOD
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn17GfcRwU7
Sasha stared at me for a long moment before nodding reluctantly. "Fine."142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmi7RndU8ym
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGL1V3dvhjX
"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.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGLgKUEKGi
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIx52tjeggl
"Yeah," Sasha said, though her tone was still distant.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZL15n0SQRj
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhCHOHDXgno
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.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9qFNSQmCPQ
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXc1QmckgiB
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.142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWqVZVcDJJV
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