White Gold *Completed*

The Truth

NIX

When I woke up, the guilt and gravity of the situation I had just put myself through hit me like a truck. I could feel Tommy's warm body and measured breaths beside me. He was so...petite compared to Adam, who had always taken up a large portion of the bed and hogged the blankets. A hot stab pain hit me in the chest and I sat up, reaching for Tommy's long shirt discarded on the floor and pulled it on then crept to the bathroom down the hall, gathering my clothes along the way.

The shower burned away my thoughts for a moment but they came flooding back swiftly. Lost in my self-loathing and despair, I almost didn't notice the knock on the door.

"Nix? You okay?" Came Tommy's worried voice.

I swallowed hard before replying. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'll be out in a few minutes."

"No rush."

Fifteen minutes later I emerged, hair damp and eyes probably red and swollen. I spotted Tommy sitting in the living-room with no shirt on. I saw the small nail and bite marks around his neck and shoulders and felt my face get red.

"Hope I didn't use up all the hot water..." I said awkwardly. Tommy looked around and smiled.

"I doubt it. I don't mind cold showers anyway."

"Right."

He didn't know what to say, nor did I. The tension of so many unspoken words hung in the air though neither of us knew how to initiate it.

I sighed and just decided to go with it. "Listen, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done this, it was a huge risk."

Tommy cocked his head. "Nix, it's not like you're cheating with me."

"Yeah, but you're my friend, I don't want to ruin that."

Tommy stood up and cautiously made his way closer to me. "Nix, nothing could ruin our friendship. So what? We slept together. Some friends do that, and who knows; maybe it was something that was bound to happen at some point anyway."

"Maybe."

"Listen, lemme make it up to you? Later, after school?"

"Oh, shit! I have classes!" I smacked my forehead and groaned. "What kind of "making it up" did you have in mind?"

"The movies?" He hinted.

I gave a ghost of a smile. "Sure. That sounds great." As I got lost in Tommy's excited eyes, another thing came to mind.

"Oh my God, Pongo! What the hell?? I left him alone and the sitter won't be there for hours!"

I took the last of my stuff and rushed to the door with Tommy behind me.

"Fuck! I'm such a horrible mother." I fretted, completely furious with myself.

"Nix, calm down; he's a puppy. I'm sure everything is fine." Tommy soothed.

I turned to face him at the door. "Um, text you later?"

"Yeah, let me know when you're done."

We gave each other a quick hug and then I ran to my car.

Pongo was on the floor in front of the door when I entered, and he jumped to his feet the moment he saw me.

"Baby, I'm so sorry!" I cooed and scooped him up, laughing as he licked my face frantically. "Let's get you outside and feed you and all that, huh? Who cares if I'm late."

By the time I returned Lisa was already there, waiting for us. I explained that Pongo would need extra attention that day so she promised to take him around. I had just barely enough time to throw myself together and get to class, though I had missed my first one of the day.