Moving On Without You Read Free Page A

done correctly. It just depends on your lifestyle and what is
most convenient for you. Just don't forget to come back."
    "Okay. I will just do that. Does it
hurt?"
    "No. Not much. It will be over in a second.
I'll go get the shot and I'll be right back."
    Tracy knew her cousin took the shot and gained a
lot of weight, but as soon as she got off it she ended up pregnant. That was
enough to convince Tracy she was not leaving without the birth control. This
was probably the best option because Janet would never find the pills around
the house.
    She allowed the woman to shoot her in her left
arm. Then, she got dressed and met Sean back in the waiting area. The whole
process was easier than Tracy imagined. It was time that she began to take care
of herself because her mother was not prepared for this moment in her life yet.
Now she could be confident that no matter what happened in the future. She was
safe and would not be bringing home any children. That was the most important
thing.

Chapter 2
     
    The days were beginning to
run together and it was hard to keep track of the time. Tracy ran around her room
frantically tossing clothes on her bed. Nothing seemed to fit properly or look
how it did when it was purchased. No outfit seemed to be good enough to get her
out of the door. She was rushing because Terry said he would meet her at Keisha's
house twenty minutes ago, but she could not make solid decision on what to
wear. It was too hot to be spending this much effort on something so silly. Her
old pink dress was hanging over the back of her desk chair. It was her first
choice that she had tossed aside before rummaging through every other piece of
clothing in her closet. Quickly throwing it on she grabbed her keys, punched in
the alarm code, and ran out the door.
    It was even hotter outside than in her bedroom
which didn't seem possible five minutes ago. The sun was beating and she began
to wish she had brought a bottle of water. She was not going back. Janet would
be home soon and if she caught her daughter leaving she would try to lock her
in the house or grill her with a million questions. Walking at a steady pace
was a skill that had to be mastered over the past few weeks. Walking too
quickly would result in a feverish state that always led to excessive sweating
and aggravation. Moving too slow would end in heat exhaustion. Even though Tracy
maintained her pace, she was getting annoyed less than halfway down the hill.
    Keisha lived in a red house at the bottom of the
hill on Chauncey Street. It was the main road that Tracy's street met on the north
end. It was busy and there were always a lot of people outside getting into
trouble. Terry had met her there a couple times before, but they kept the
meetings brief because Keisha's mother got off work at four.
    Their relationship—or lack thereof—was still
largely a secret. Generally they met for less than an hour before he had to
"run to work" or "get back home." Tracy was beginning to
speculate about his whereabouts, but she didn't have the nerve to ask him. She still
hadn't found the courage to ask if he was her boyfriend or where the friendship
was going. He made it clear that he liked her and he enjoyed her company but
that was it. They had kissed a few times but not much more had happened.
    In an effort to not scare the guy off she was
still not talking much. She had told Max her feelings, but that didn't end well
at all which left a barrier between her and most other people.
    When Tracy got to the fifth block she could see
Keisha's little sister sitting on her mountain bike in the front yard talking
to a young boy. He didn't look familiar at all, but Tracy greeted them both
before skipping up the steps. There was no sign of Terry.
    "Keisha!"
    "Come in!"
    Tracy stepped inside the house relieved that Terry
was not there yet. That would give her a minute to freshen up.
    "Hey, lady!"
    "Hey! It's so damn hot out there. I don't
know how you made it."
    "I know. Can I use your