This is From Matilda.

Chapter eight - breathe

I was a fair distance from his house now, but the uneasiness didn't leave me; this wasn't true freedom. I was bound to this stupid deal that I had no control over.

I knew that I'd have to talk to Zona about what had happened. However, if I didn't compromise this deal, if I didn't tell Zona his whereabouts, I wouldn't have to worry about money for a very long time.

"Zona?" I asked, after three successive knocks. "It's me, Matilda."

The door creaked open, and I slid inside the dim room. Zona rested her forehead in the curve of her thumb and index finger, the other hand gliding around the rim of a whiskey glass, that sat on a tablecloth of papers.

"What?"

She sounded tired. I decided to keep my visit short.

"I- I have some money, Zona. It's not enough yet but..."

She thrusts her hand out, without lifting her head. I tentatively placed the small wad of notes in her hand, and turned to leave. She had these moods sometimes; she was a coiled, wild cat, and I had no intention of provoking her, and I certainly wasn't going to bring up how exactly I got the money. But what she didn't know, wouldn't hurt her; especially in her state.

*

The door to my room was slightly ajar. Strangely, no noise escaped the room, which was a surprise since Norbert and Lexi were mostly in the same vicinity these days; and that usually meant some kind of bickering, or banter would conspire between the two.
I slipped inside to a sleeping Norbert, slumped against the radiator and a pillow; his head hung back, and a comic book hanging limp in one hand.
The low sun warmed his face and neck, and the golden glow gave him a youthful and guileless appearance.

I looked over to Lexi's bed, where she lay with one headphone in her ear; she too, had her eyes closed, but I knew she was awake, from the light tap of her fingers on her stomach.

"Where were you all day?" she said, but with her eyes still closed.

"Out and about. Managed to get some money."

"So you won't be moping around anymore?"

I could hear the smirk in her voice. I threw a pillow in her general direction, and a small 'oomph' swiftly followed.

"You two were right."

"Tell me something I don't know."

unfortunately, I had no more pillow ammunition left.

"I need to get over this guy. I can't let him ruin my life."

"You're making this sound like he broke up with you or something..."

She had sat up, and I took the opportunity to give her a good glare.

Lexi sighed, "this situation would be easily resolved, if you just went to Zona. You know that right?"

I swallowed nervously, I couldn't tell Lexi why I couldn't turn in this bastard. The fewer people knew, the smoother this would go. "We don't know what connections he has. He could be a detective or something. If Zona makes even a little slip, we would all be ruined."

It was contrived, and I knew Lexi wouldn't buy it.

"All the more reason to let Zona deal with it! I don't know why you're being so difficult with this."

"I'll make a deal then."

"Go on."

" If I see that fucker again, or anything to do with him, I'll go straight to Zona."