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.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdNlvl0SRCc
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBEKPCfWdlv
"Sasha! SASHA!"246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIk7KRN7ZHW
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1LOARVYEmC
No response. Just as my anxiety began to spike, her voice came again, faint but steady. "I'm over here."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Od0utsNwM
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOitFO6jB2Z
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."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrhQWzzIYwJ
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Ay631vdEF
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.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1NU6MxfcRc
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"Can you believe it?" Sasha whispered, her voice trembling despite her attempt at excitement. "This place has an underground room."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgTR2ciF4V
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBI3fzkngiE
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.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOPEuvBw0zU
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9xzGk1YX6D
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.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8CxtKGZ7tQ
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBp3mPomkjt
"Are you okay?" Maya asked, her voice tight with concern.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSIdqsuvgkR
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiUQWhrnYsL
"Is that an underground room? Sick!" Martin said, his eyes lighting up.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOd17bYgJ1k
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk44mlJWGgM
"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."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJnsNcSvCj
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj3niLg7tvF
"Which book?" Hendrick asked, his tone curious.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeu2bqPbYXR
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡALwXi3nSR8
"I think it was Catch-22," Sasha said.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6bNd3QEuLn
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0wnn4jkJo
"Where does it lead?" Martin pressed.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkIwpEp8wvd
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeeg9nQ1Lmu
"I haven't looked yet."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1DSiBzsENK
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzaFzZ7huac
"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.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbuzqNqCD6H
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAXpDfOAo4r
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?"246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5VN2ehmkV
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFg3B77vQLP
"Are you saying you're not curious about what the Whites are hiding down there?" Martin challenged.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9lMlkMGWDY
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcZ1tzStQl4
I was. Of course I was. But I had the decency to keep that to myself.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKa7stkQZQL
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5n1IfQj8xk
"Not even a little," I lied. "And even if I were, it doesn't matter. We're here to clean, not play detective."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJ2exhFQHJ
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp6koLQyqUZ
"Okay, spoilsport," Martin muttered.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7l2Qfh4aoR
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo7OulfTP3D
"Very mature," I shot back. "Did you forget why we're here in the first place?"246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCUe6X9ABzt
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXm01MlTU84
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.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFd2ZZWBTla
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJ28ESxyXn
Cool. But also terrifying.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuxBABGtwuG
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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.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Egf6O9qol
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3wVt3Ke6cd
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.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAzEGmS5VGe
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLIPlxeeyLm
"Since when do you smoke?" she asked, her tone casual but probing.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡETY8VXJQpK
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn4jztrbPeD
"Since when do you smoke?" I countered, raising an eyebrow.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgRhO7zMXCX
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhWsHqaxH6t
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."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡastLURQuPJ
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVwb9FjbFY5
"Is it?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmqqPHC6U0Z
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxDbMmDAFQ
"You've been distant," she said, her voice softening. "I miss having my best friend. And I know Maya misses her sister."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf4ATkKjwYF
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7TszGe1zeg
I didn't respond immediately, my gaze fixed on the horizon as the sun dipped lower in the sky.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa4IipZM3zb
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH1Cuxmygih
"Do you hate me?" Sasha asked suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrHL5npiNgT
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I turned to look at her, surprised. "Why would I hate you?"246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Dq9qe5CzM
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOMrZH0o4g2
"Because I was the one who told Maya and the principal about your addiction."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqkD2Mr0KYp
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ebeJe4HnH
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I don't hate you for that."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoDqgoGWYLU
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡllfosm0cld
"So you do hate me," she said, her tone half-joking but with an undercurrent of seriousness.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzagUB3D17b
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIifsr7jLKH
"I don't hate you," I said firmly. "But I've been avoiding the clubhouse for a reason."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhx5D65Ivlk
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0s6eEvoJRM
"Is it because of me and Martin?" she asked, her voice tentative.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXjIOH8Ak9A
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkYJLRVv3jZ
"It's Hendrick," I said bluntly. "I can't stand his face."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKJpUc6WL2X
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVO8un4VWxf
Sasha gave me a look, her eyes narrowing. "Why can't you be serious for once?"246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHQoCjtmV5
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUajqbOqWil
"I am serious," I said, though my tone was lighter than I intended. "But fine. The school counselor thinks I blame him."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4OB2C8wLum
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK30SMPBVtZ
"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?"246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7J6pDX3umC
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡin7d6tGcHi
I hesitated, the words caught in my throat. "Isn't he?" she pressed, louder this time.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYc0gbz1v0k
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPHKAlIUNpg
"Yes," I admitted, the word heavy with unspoken resentment.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWbtebdMGzD
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNiMe2scznA
Sasha's face darkened, and she turned on her heel, storming back toward the mansion. I grabbed her wrist, stopping her in her tracks.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJVLjqE2Z4
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaccrjS9AVr
"Let me go!" she snapped, her voice sharp.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkQ4vs1LVo0
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpxjN86kdaX
"Why? So you can punch Hendrick? What good would that do?"246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSRZdIhdGKi
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbTuFfxaq7o
"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."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7xpsq0Sq6t
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡubnRtngbJW
I looked away, my chest tightening. "It doesn't matter what he says. I made my choices."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6EL3uIw2d8
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw7dFZrjWm6
"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."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMZyoUZ7XBg
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsEbppyuEJ6
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."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpKGF8ypeSH
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjwe7oc1Xak
Sasha stared at me for a long moment before nodding reluctantly. "Fine."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7CUTbixW6p
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsHBYyL7AVY
"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.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcJglVDhOjU
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb3wIl43JOM
"Yeah," Sasha said, though her tone was still distant.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbCBcO1IdFp
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQruWhzRqi
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.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2KU8voUwTW
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUURI26TQSK
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.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdCp20PPYCe
246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5tGsd5Frl2
------
Penana
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