Wow, this story goes back a ways. This is one of my personal favorites and I hope you enjoy it. The characters, story and everything else mentioned in this story belong to me so please, stay behind the velvet ropes (I.e. no stealing). Enjoy :

A/N:(italics are symbolic for flashbacks by the way)

Gesundheit!

Prologue: Sneeze Guard

“Abie, please, you must understand, there is nothing else we can do!”

A young girl leaned up against the door as she slowly slumped down to the floor. She had short blond hair tied into small, stubby pigtails and wore a polka dot halter-top and a pair of jeans cropped to the knee. She tapped her feet impatiently on the floor; they were laced up in a pair of low-top black converse. She sniffed and rubbed her nose gently. ‘Mom is right.’ She thought to herself as she glanced over at the luggage on her bed. ‘If I stay here there is no way she could continue a normal life.’ She rummaged around her room and got some last minute items from the shelves.

‘I just want her to be happy.’

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Ever since Abie’s dad passed away when she was just a couple of years old, she has suffered from an unusual allergy. Now, that her mother is getting remarried, Abie is being shipped off to a prestigious boarding school of the Arts and Design. It’s not that Abie doesn’t like her mother’s new husband—well, perhaps this will explain.

“Mrs. Winry, your daughter seems to be suffering from an allergic reaction that appears to be psychological.” The doctor looked down at the paper in disbelief as a child version of Abie sat on the chair swinging her legs back and forth.

“Is it serious?” her mother asked looking wary. The doctor immediately shook his head and smiled.

“As of now, no, it is not really all that serious, but it is very likely that the symptoms will get worse if constant interaction with the cause persists.”

“The cause?” Mrs. Winry questioned. “What’s the cause?”

“Men.” The doctor said simply. “Abie is allergic to members of the opposite sex.”

From then on men were not allowed in the house. If Mrs. Winry was to date, they were not allowed in the house and she must undergo a series of habitual cleansing procedures before she can enter the house. Also, because of the condition Abie was not allowed to attend school and Mrs. Winry spent most of her day home schooling Abie. This did not leave her mother with much time on her hands for herself. It was only recently that she got involved with a man that she was planning on marrying, and it was only until recently that her mother finally found a solution.

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The key was left in the ignition as her mother patiently tapped the steering wheel in an effort to help pass time. “Abie, please!” she yelled impatiently, though it was unlikely that Abie could have heard her because the windows and doors of the car was securely shut. Abie finally came out the front door but dropped her bags before the steps and fixed her new uniform in attempt to stall.

“Abie, please, we have to be there by six, and it’s almost quarter to five, get your rear into gear!” her mother yelled angrily through the now open window. Abie sighed and threw her bags over her shoulder and meandered down the stairs and into the car.

“Caldwell’s is a fine boarding school, and I know you MUST be excited to check out their fashion design program.” Her mom said as she quickly glanced over to her daughter who had a slight smirk on her face.

‘She’s right,’ Abie thought to herself, ‘I’ve wanted this more than anything, I just can’t help but feel uneasy about the whole situation.’

“Plus,” her mother continued on, “it’s an all girls campus, no male students, no male faculty, no male staff, to be honest I don’t think they even let men on the campus, so everything is going to be just fine, right?”

Abie sighed and glanced out the window despondently. “Right.”

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tbc in the next installment of Gesundheit!

Can you blame Abie for her disinterest in the school? I mean come on, she may be allergic but that doesn’t mean she’s not attracted to them. Man does THAT bite. As she moves in she finds that the school is nothing like the brochure said- friendly atmosphere my ass-well, at least she gets her own room, right? WRONG. Keep an eye out for the fun as the classes resume and the story continues. Read and Review and I’ll return the favor!