It can get pricey if you’re not going to use your parents’ insurance, but you can be prescribed birth control by a physician at a number of the Planned Parenthoods around here (I’ll include a link to a list below). Some walk-in clinics who don’t require insurance can also hook you up.

You’ll have to go through an exam (I know, bummer) but after that, you should be set to get the protection you need. While you’re waiting, if you find you can’t wait, definitely use a condom. Staying safe is wicked important, and it’s awesome that you’re already thinking that far ahead. To be double on top of things, even when you start taking the pill, I’d suggest you keep using that condom, too, because the pill doesn’t protect you from other problems…like all those horrid STDs we saw in the Wilmont Way presentation.

In the meantime,

Stay Sexy. Stay Healthy.

Click here for a complete list of places to score BC near us!

…

I hit publish and closed my laptop.

I’d thought my “useful links” tab would’ve been enough to cover this topic, but there was a real fear surrounding a lot of the people writing in about being caught trying to get on birth control.

Hard for me to relate but easy for me to picture.

Not everyone had a mom like mine. One who took me to the doctor after I told her things were starting to get serious between Brandon and me. She’d talked me through all the pros and cons and let me make the choice for myself. Ultimately, I’d been so blindingly happy and excited to be with Brandon that I’d gotten on the pill with butterflies storming my stomach.

I’d planned to tell Brandon.

I’d dreamed of the perfect moment.

And then…he’d crushed those dreams before I’d gotten the chance to share them with him.

I dodged a major bullet, and yet I still felt like I was bleeding.

The wound he’d left was slowly closing, though, and as I traced my fingers over my still-warm laptop, I knew starting this blog had a ton to do with it.

And Mom.

Dad and Hannah and Jake, too.

My small yet irreplaceable tribe.

Sometimes I forgot how lucky I was.

At least I was using the info Mom had given me back then for some good now.

Or what I hoped would be good. Hoped I was helping.

One person at a time. That’s all I needed.

And the rest of me would eventually fall into place.

Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

Amber

“See ya, Gary!” I called to my boss as he waved to me while he walked out the exit. The bell above the door chimed, and I waited a full fifteen minutes before reaching for my laptop that I kept in my designated cubby behind the coffee bar.