A/N: I can't say this is an original idea, but I still wanted to write it. Let me know what you think! Edited recently.

"Hey Al, why don't we stop here for lunch?"

Alice grimaced. Those were the two things Abigail did that annoyed her the most. She insisted on always eating at McDonald's and she always called Alice by that infernal nickname. While Alice never tolerated the latter, Abby knew that she would always indulge her the former.

"Don't call me that," Alice snapped, just as predicted. But then she sighed, not in the mood to argue, and turned the car into the McDonald's parking lot. Abigail smiled inwardly, pleased that she knew her best friend so well.

The college student who worked at the counter knew them, and greeted the two girls by name as they ordered their usual: a shake and fries for Alice and two Big Macs for Abigail. Along with the fast food, he always had a new corny joke for them.

"Hey guys! So what does a zombie say when you ask him a question?"

Abby grinned. "What?"

"'IDK!'"

The two of them laughed hysterically at the terrible pun, while Alice could only roll her eyes.

The girls carried the food to their seats, and Abby dug in right away. Alice slurped her shake absentmindedly, but then had her senses dragged back to reality when Abigail carefully wiped the grease off her hand and laid it gently on Alice's.

"What's wrong, Al?"

The British girl blushed behind her glasses, but recovered just in time to retaliate with a sharp, "Don't call me that!" And when Abigail kept staring at her, waiting for an answer, she lied.

"I was just wondering how you can eat so much at once without being sick."

It was only for a split second, but Alice could have sworn she saw Abigail's usually constant smile flicker. But in an instant it was back, the same as always, so she decided to let it go.

"It's just my great metabolism I guess!" Abby shrugged unconcernedly.

"Fat ass," Alice teased. She really didn't mean anything by it.

They finished their meal, chatting all the while. Alice started to bring up the subject of their summer assignments for the coming school year, but Abby cut her off, insisting that they talk about something, anything else but school. They discussed summer fashions, plans, Alice's new driver's license, and, realizing that they had both finished their food some time ago, finally decided to leave.

As they stood, Abby remarked, "I'm just going to the little girls' room real quick!"

Alice nodded at her and headed out the door to wait.

Abigail entered the bathroom, walking quickly, but when she passed by the sinks, she stopped. Gazing at herself in the mirror, Abby examined he reflection. She turned to both sides, and to the back.

"Alice was right," she said out loud to herself, sighing. "She always is."

She double checked that there was no one else in the stalls, glanced around one last time and closed the door behind her.

With a practiced air, she quickly pulled her hair out of her face into a stubby little mess of a ponytail, knelt in front of the toilet, and forced a finger down her throat. As she quickly pulled her hand out of the way and wretched, she thought about Alice. Abby knew she had been joking when she had called her a fat ass, but had it been based on truth? Abigail had jokingly been called fat for years, and for a long time she had always been able to brush it off, until just a few months ago.

She had only meant to try it once, right before a pool party, but soon enough she had found herself visiting the bathroom at least once a day to get rid of the food that she no longer felt any guilt about eating.

Abigail emerged from the stall, wiped her mouth with a paper towel, and washed her hands. Just before leaving the room, she remembered to pop in a piece of gum to mask the horrible smell now lingering on her breath.

"Ready?"

Alice was waiting for her outside in the bright sunshine, which was shining off her long blonde hair. Abigail forced a smile.

"Yep!"

Alice was so beautiful. She was dainty and petite and Abigail never felt worthy whenever she stood next to her. Abby wanted to be someone Alice would be proud to be seen with, not just her ugly, fat ass friend. Alice wasn't the reason Abigail had started, but she was the reason she just couldn't stop.