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.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE9xpRxmOnr
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"Sasha! SASHA!"324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJIno6rQqyT
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No response. Just as my anxiety began to spike, her voice came again, faint but steady. "I'm over here."324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJ4lt5R8hI
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcgkc6JioQt
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."324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxyfR1uQr2
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCYPTpGffzI
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.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEHGnBNNgda
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkkBBjbDUGj
"Can you believe it?" Sasha whispered, her voice trembling despite her attempt at excitement. "This place has an underground room."324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsYcwaf2lE2
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfoSJ3lYJq0
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.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFosuEDLS6x
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZe8Yl71NCg
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.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl2kz2DP1b0
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"Are you okay?" Maya asked, her voice tight with concern.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ69cs5RxVzz
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"Is that an underground room? Sick!" Martin said, his eyes lighting up.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy1NVhL007N
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjEPkpxtpSP
"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."324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5zZOWU6ru0
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7blQAyaDZx
"Which book?" Hendrick asked, his tone curious.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmExLNjKnCU
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3qTfNDxTua
"I think it was Catch-22," Sasha said.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡogsWUYcUzG
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡELQz0qDhvc
"Where does it lead?" Martin pressed.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb5Z5niM2HF
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrnDqwkrwzl
"I haven't looked yet."324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrmW27BXnYn
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvC1pP7eOaB
"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.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsgtGFkKrcr
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvY7MrScRge
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?"324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7xkKdE854T
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2T61iwivtj
"Are you saying you're not curious about what the Whites are hiding down there?" Martin challenged.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡic0ePBcz1I
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVyyBz68mjY
I was. Of course I was. But I had the decency to keep that to myself.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa5FvZv3XlY
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7zTpnC48IC
"Not even a little," I lied. "And even if I were, it doesn't matter. We're here to clean, not play detective."324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4zwZkwoS8G
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZRy2lnexk
"Okay, spoilsport," Martin muttered.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ62xZCa1PXN
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvx9kAfjx87
"Very mature," I shot back. "Did you forget why we're here in the first place?"324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5THcTo5NCS
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdM28MvgTrH
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.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxVWTZsTae
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡudIj74Hz8I
Cool. But also terrifying.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkEZelHNwnS
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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.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ8JLMZWNNy
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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.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlGm9f6H8lM
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7GWJZjKIMZ
"Since when do you smoke?" she asked, her tone casual but probing.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKzMkeRwy0w
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"Since when do you smoke?" I countered, raising an eyebrow.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1SnKflRX1G
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkW5fpYcQK8
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."324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDk6o3AGIsO
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgYtdQS1XTl
"Is it?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKz9RxkBv51
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbGKu0wbANY
"You've been distant," she said, her voice softening. "I miss having my best friend. And I know Maya misses her sister."324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrWh3pszyxY
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4OVzi4pNk
I didn't respond immediately, my gaze fixed on the horizon as the sun dipped lower in the sky.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwnQlkceWJ3
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTs5qM79VRD
"Do you hate me?" Sasha asked suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY3z7nAPPra
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I turned to look at her, surprised. "Why would I hate you?"324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7JwXmXgH9
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"Because I was the one who told Maya and the principal about your addiction."324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjvDxIi7TMd
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS69JnbnSkB
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I don't hate you for that."324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTJB7RVdlzX
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCzVzEmOIpy
"So you do hate me," she said, her tone half-joking but with an undercurrent of seriousness.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPZBUYH3wt
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO6HM4reHl4
"I don't hate you," I said firmly. "But I've been avoiding the clubhouse for a reason."324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOMneUp2OA0
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7dPVohOUxI
"Is it because of me and Martin?" she asked, her voice tentative.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCLACi3spDT
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX0wRDDPBkb
"It's Hendrick," I said bluntly. "I can't stand his face."324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXNJvcDZ8Gg
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiziKqpn1CS
Sasha gave me a look, her eyes narrowing. "Why can't you be serious for once?"324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSotbnQSc04
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOd0alsXaLV
"I am serious," I said, though my tone was lighter than I intended. "But fine. The school counselor thinks I blame him."324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQrPFCTgk2P
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmowMm3B7mw
"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?"324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA2TSbNvdrx
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3jsgCPh3U7
I hesitated, the words caught in my throat. "Isn't he?" she pressed, louder this time.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡisoAw6l6AK
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT2zrdTeXWN
"Yes," I admitted, the word heavy with unspoken resentment.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqZJ5RZ7kq
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf9EmmuV1Yu
Sasha's face darkened, and she turned on her heel, storming back toward the mansion. I grabbed her wrist, stopping her in her tracks.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9sjthd4NpV
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"Let me go!" she snapped, her voice sharp.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53Uy6wpXEN
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMpwcJNfnV3
"Why? So you can punch Hendrick? What good would that do?"324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtSAYfwEz22
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnDifGMDRcr
"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."324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgsqWR5jVz
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJji5HkjwW8
I looked away, my chest tightening. "It doesn't matter what he says. I made my choices."324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8RW1FqtksN
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMSdaJjvnGz
"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."324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXA1v9wGFbg
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3r6pJntnaI
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."324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfz7Z4WxaFv
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH5rDQfncx2
Sasha stared at me for a long moment before nodding reluctantly. "Fine."324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ59m3a8Yu5a
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2PzUBI8Ibk
"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.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQBdq5MGSsy
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjqdkFvz2yU
"Yeah," Sasha said, though her tone was still distant.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHg4vHu9xsP
324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMYFpn79f6r
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.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMVGQvBLMZf
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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.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsAhB9c9Znw
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