This is From Matilda.

Chapter five - magic leaves

Never ending. The turmoil in my life was never ending. Kidnapped, robbed, traumatised, stalked. Would it ever end?

I didn't storm in this time. I was scarily calm, though the barricade hoarding my emotions was beginning to crack.

I opened the door to Lexi and Norbert sitting face to face at the lopsided table, playing a game of poker. Coins and crumpled notes were littered across the table, tossed in the frenzy of victory, and in the bitterness of loss.

"Oh, Tilly. Just in time to witness Norbert losing all his money."

He scoffed, "ha! As if."

I usually would have laughed, or made a sarcastic comment. But nothing particularly witty came to mind.

"Lexi?" I croaked. I cleared my throat, surprised at the feeble tone of my voice.
Lexi's mischievous smirk disappeared.

"What is it this time."

"He drew pictures of me. I saw them in his window."

"Who?" Norbert asked.

Lexi rolled her eyes, "the creep who mugged Tilly, keep up Bertie."

She turned back to face me. "Wait, he has pictures of you? You found his house?"

I nodded, and she let out a long whistle.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go to Zona."

"Woah, slow down Bert. Let Tilly have some recovery time."
I nodded. Recovery sounded like a good idea.

"Can we get some tea?" I said, finally.

Norbert smiled, "sure, I quite fancy a tea myself."

"How can you two drink tea? It's hot water with leaves."

"Mm, but yummy leaves." I mumbled, half consciously.
Norbert and Lexi looked at each other.

"Yeah, she needs some magic hot leaves pronto".

*

A steamy tendril of lemon and green tea tickled my nose, and I instantly perked up. I cupped the mug in both hands, hugging the heat with my trembling fingers.

"So what do you think?" I slid one of the smaller sketches that I managed to snatch, across the table.

"Well," Lexi started, " I think you have a crazy stalker on your tail."

I frowned, irritated at her attitude to the situation. "This is not funny Lex. This is really dangerous."

"If this is so serious, and so extremely dangerous, then why haven't you gone to Zona." She said coolly, knowing that she's won.

I looked at Norbert, who silently nodded. I didn't say anything, and went back to picking at the chip on the rim of my mug.

I let out a long sigh, "I think I need to do this myself. I need to prove to Zona that I'm fine."

"Does it really matter that much? Isn't the main priority to be safe? And to get the money back?" Norbert questioned in a more concerned tone than Lexi's accusative demeanour.