Authors Note: I'm so so sorry, you all probably hate me for not updating in such a long time. The main reason being that I've been doing quite a lot of one-shots and working on some new ideas. So if you havent checked them out yet, please do & leave me some reviews.

So this chapter is almost like a filler chapter, kinda where the drama begins. WARNING! This chapter contains some disturbing scenes at the end which some people might want to avoid!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything unfortunately, apart from Avery, Q, Tasha, Caleb and the Bistro :P

xoxo

March 2029-

"How's film production going? Are you sure that I can't play Karen," Alex asked as her and Julian sat in the Bistro eating their dinner. It was a tradition for them to meet up and have dinner once a month to catch up. Alex was Julian's only friend in Tree Hill for a long time and was still his best friend now.

"Production is going great; we have all of the characters except Lucas'. Lucas is the protagonist so he has to be perfect but no perfects have auditioned yet. And no, you cannot play Karen. You're too glamorous to be Karen," he complimented her and she really did look beautiful sat opposite him. He was never attracted to her in any way, she was only ever just a friend but he knew that she was stunning. She was wearing a one shouldered green dress, with a black belt, which reached her knees. Underneath she wore leggings and black wedged heels. Her hair was loose and curly; resembling very much a Greek goddess.

"That is very true," she smirked confidently. Julian noticed that she was going back to her old self, the sparkle re-emerging in her brown eyes. "How's Haley? I've been meaning to call her."

"She's great, fantastic even," he said with a disappointed tone.

"Well that's good right?"

"Don't get me wrong, I want Haley to be healthy but she hasn't had any pregnancy symptoms or anything. It's not exactly what me and Brooke want to hear, you know."

"It's only been a week Julian," she reminded him.

"I know, I guess that we're just anxious. We've been waiting so long to have a baby and we're so ready now. Anyway, enough about me, have you spoken to Avery?" Julian questioned sensitively, knowing that it was going to be a difficult subject for Alex to talk about.

"Brooke told you huh?"

"Yeah she did. She's just worried. Avery means a lot to both me and Brooke."

"I know you both do and it means a lot knowing that you are worried about her. But we did speak to her today. We wanted to do it together so we had to wait for Chase to get a day off work."

"How did it go?"

*FLASHBACK*

"Avery, me and your dad want to talk to you," Alex told Avery as she took a seat across from Chase and Alex at their kitchen table. The smell of Chase and Caleb's lasagne lingered in the air, making Avery feel sick. She hadn't eaten anything in two weeks. She lived on water and the occasional piece of fruit or salad.

"Sure, what's up?" She seemed to be her old cheery self which confused Alex and Chase slightly; they hadn't seen this side of Avery since they had split up.

"Well, the thing is, we know that the break up has been hard for you, and you haven't been yourself lately," Alex started, rambling nervously.

"I'm fine mom."

"It's just we've noticed that you haven't been eating a lot lately."

Avery's big smile disappeared and she looked open mouthed back at her parents.

"I…I've been eating," she stuttered, barely able to get her words out.

"Have you though Ave?" Because you don't eat dinner with us anymore and you get breakfast on your way to school. Honestly Avery, I haven't seen you eat in a while and I'm not the only one who's noticed. Peyton, Haley and Brooke are worried about you too."

"Great, so now you've been talking about me!" Avery quickly assumed.

"No-"

"That's not what your mom meant Avery. We're all just worried about your weight loss," Chase intercepted, knowing full well that it could get very heated between the two very similar girls in his life.

"What weight loss? Its just a couple of pounds. I've been practising a lot lately and we're on a healthy eating regime so that we're fit for the classics," she lied.

"And we're happy that you're passionate about something but we don't want you getting ill because of it."

"Honestly, I'm fine," Avery replied, backing down. "If you want me to more then that's okay."

"That's all we're asking princess," Chase responded.

"Okay, well 'm going to go and get ready. I'm going out for pizza with Q."

*END OF FLASHBACK*

"Do you believe her?" Julian asked once Alex had finished telling the story.

"I've got no choice, I have to trust her Julian and Chase seemed convinced."

"It's just so unlike Avery, that's all."

"I know but we're going to keep an eye on her. I'll get Hales to check with Quinton if she ate with him. Go Julian, when did I become a bad parent?" Avery sighed in despair, dropping her knife and fork on the table.

"Thanks for coming Ava," Quinton said as Avery took a seat opposite him in the booth that they had been given at the pizzeria.

"Sure, you asked me to come so I'm here. What's up?" she asked, placing her jacket on the seat next to her.

"I just thought that we could talk."

"About what?"

"Tasha. It's just I'm confused and I need to talk to someone and you're a girl."

"Nice observation Q," she sarcastically replied.

"Sorry, I just thought that you might understand her better than me."

Avery looked at him unsure. She wanted to be a good friend for him but she didn't really want to discuss her relationship.

"I don't know how much help I can be." She chose their friendship, over her crush for him.

"Thanks Ava. Shall we order first? I'm starving," he looked at his menu.

"Errrm, I'm fine. Not really that hungry." She shifted nervously on her chair. She was usually fine about lying to people about not eating, but she felt oddly uncomfortable lying to him.

"Seriously? But you're always hungry," he laughed. Everyone knew how much Avery loved food because it had become a joke with everyone as to how Avery was only a size 4. "Come on, I don't want to eat a whole pizza to myself."

"Honestly Q, I'm just not hungry."

"You're not on one of those weird diets like Tasha are you?" He scrunched his nose up in detest. He hated diets.

"No, of course not."

"Good because I hate it when she does that. I like a girl who likes to eat. One slice, that's all I'm asking," he begged.

"Fine, one slice but you're paying."

The food arrived and Quinton had already started discussing Tasha.

"I like her, I do but I just don't think we have that much in common."

"Really? I would never have guessed," Avery replied sarcastically as she played with her food. The smell of the pepperoni pizza was knocking her sick but it did look good.

"I think that we're just a physical thing, you know? Like I can't talk to her the way I talk to you. We kinda just spend hours making out. That can't be good right?"

"I don't know. I've heard that making out can be great." Avery had never been kissed, she had secretly been waiting for Quinton.

"Yeah it is, but its not all its cracked up to be," he hestitated slightly. "Maybe I shouldn't be talking to you about this, I mean it's kind of a guy conversation."

"Q, you've been talking to me about Tasha for weeks. Just pretend that I'm a guy," she smirked.

"That could be hard, considering you look very much like a girl."

"Well, I'll take that as a compliment. But come on, pretend that I'm a guy. I can act like a guy," she told him with pride in her voice. Then in her fake guys voice, she said, "Pass me the ball man. This is my shot. Hell yeah, I rock!"

Quinton laughed at her attempt at acting like a guy. "That has to be the lamest impersonation I've ever seen."

"Oh yeah? And you can do better at pretending to be a girl?" she challenged him.

"I'm a girl and all I care about is cheerleading, Taco Bell, oh and looking at hot guys all day," he replied in a high pitched voice.

"Not bad Quinnie," she joked using the nickname that he hated. "So spill..."

"Well, she's kinda pushing for more than making out right now," he blushed.

"Like sex?" Avery had a tendency to say things as they were, she wasn't shy about anything; a characteristic inherited from her mom.

"Yeah and I'm not ready for that. I don't think she's the person I'm supposed to be with."

"How do you know?" Her heart skipped a beat. Maybe he didn't love Tasha after all.

"I've just got this idea that when you kiss the person you're supposed to be with, the whole world stops and you see fireworks, you know? Like there's nothing else in the world that you'd rather be doing. Am I stupid for even thinking that? Does that only just happen in the movies?" he asked her, honesty written across his face.

How could anyone be so perfect? She felt herself falling for him even more. Why couldn't he see how much she wanted to be with him? When was he going to stop looking at her like a cousin? So many questions ran through Avery's mind but all remained unanswered as she sat there speechless. She wanted to kiss him so badly; to see the fireworks when their lips met and never stop.

"It's not stupid Q," was all she could say but it seemed to be all he rneeded to hear, from the person who had become his relationship therapist. He turned his attention back to his fourth slice of pizza and realised that Avery still hadn't eaten hers.

"Hey Kid," he called to grab her attention as she daydreamed.

"Huh?"

"You promised that you'd eat at least a slice."

"I did huh?" she smiled at him and he smiled back, she could look at his face everyday. He continued looking at her, waiting for her to eat. She picked the slice up, the smell getting stronger, and took a bite out of the pizza. She fought past the feeling of wanting to be sick and instead chose to divulge the entire slice.

Quinton walked Avery home after the pizza and told her that he would see her at school. Walking into her family's apartment, she found her parents talking on the couch with bottles of beers in their hands. She loved seeing them so happy and comfortable around each other, carefree and no pressure. Their new found friendship was endearing to say the least. Avery thought that her dad would have gone home by now after babysitting Caleb for the night, but he had apparently chosen to saty with Alex.

"Hey Princess, did you have a good night?" Alex asked once she noticed Avery smiling at her and Chase from the front door.

"Yeah it was good," she replied.

"What did you two do?" Chase wondered.

"Oh we just went for Pizza. Q wanted to talk. He's having girlfriend problems."

"That's nice of you to be there for him when he needs a friend Ave." Alex knew about her daughter's crush on Quinton and she also knew how hard it was to help the person you're in love with, with their relationship problems because she once had to do the same with Chase and Mia.

"Thanks Mom."

"What pizza did you get?"

"Pepperoni thin crust. You can check with Q, I did eat," she quickly added.

"We trust you Avery," Alex commented.

"Okay, well I'm going to take a shower before bed," Avery said as she edged towards the bathroom.

"Make sure you come and say goodnight to us after."

"I will," she replied. She could hear her parents laughter as she closed the bathroom door behind her. She could still smell the pizza on her, making her feel sick and reminding her of how weak she was. She had caved and eaten a slice of pizza. All control that she had and the power that she felt, washed away with that one slice. She turned the shower on and sunk to the floor next to the toilet. She hated herself for her moment of weakness, her stomach churned at the thought of what she had eaten. Before she knew it, her fingers were in her mouth and she was forcing herself to be sick, wanting to just get rid of it all. Tears streamed down her face as she was sick into the toilet, her throat burning. The sound of the shower covered up her gags so not even her parents could hear her throwing up.

That was all she needed to do to gain back the power, she felt in control again; in control of herself and her life. And if she had that control, then no one could hurt her, but herself.

She went to bed that night with a sore throat but no regret, for this was only the first night that Avery Adams forced herself to be sick.

Authors note: Leave me some reviews to let me know what y'all think :')