"Another burger Kuki?" Chad asked brightly. Holding a spatula up in the air.

Kuki gave him a smile and shook her head. "No thanks Chad."

It was now growing dark and chilly. Kuki looked over at Billy, who was now on his fifth can of beer. She gave a sigh and kept her mouth shut. The three boys laughed and joked tipsily. Kuki turned to look at the woodlands, peeping through the trees and trying to make out scary shadows. The dim, flickering light of the barbeque put an eerier effect on the woodland in front of her. Things seemed to move and Kuki felt as if things were watching her.

"So what are you guys up to tomorrow?" Billy asked, swigging another mouthful of beer.

"Work." They both said in a bored unison. Billy gave a groan and knocked back his last mouthful from the can. He wiped excess liquid from his lips with his sleeve and then crushed the can in his hand, throwing it into the black bin bag that Maurice had remembered to bring for trash. He then reached for another can.

"Billy?" Kuki spoke quietly, not wanting to nag in front of his friends. Billy looked up at her, she bit her lip and spoke. "Are you driving home?"

Billy raised an eyebrow as he pulled back the lid of the next can, letting it hiss loudly before he replied in a sarcastic tone. "No, I was planning on letting the BMW camp out here while we took the private jet!"

Kuki lowered her head, glancing at Chad and Maurice in embarrassment, they obviously also felt the tension as they were occupying themselves in their own business. Kuki looked back at her boyfriend who was giving her a questioning look. She took a breath and began to explain herself. "You've had a lot of beer. Should you really drive…?"

"Kuki!" Billy groaned with a laugh, looking around at his two friends, as if wanting to be backed up. "Get the stick out of your ass. I haven't even had that much."

She pursed her lips together and looked at the floor. Cursing herself for even questioning him and mentioning such a thing. He was the one who could drive, and had been since he was 16. Billy shook his head at her and gave a laugh, looking at his two friends. "Women huh guys? I think you guys have got the right idea without them."

Kuki said nothing, but kept her head down. It was obvious that Billy had now been taken over by the alcohol. The nice guy that she'd been with all day had disappeared and been replaced with a loud mouthed show off. Chad and Maurice looked at Billy with small smiles, as if they were acknowledging the conversation but not wishing to continue it. Billy however didn't seem to get this message.

"Mush for brains huh Kuki? You're not the thinker of the relationship are you?" Billy chuckled.

Kuki couldn't help but heave a sigh, wishing that nice Billy could just come back and get rid of this other personality.

Billy stopped and stared at her, pointing his finger at her accusingly, the tone of his voice suddenly going stern. "Did you just roll your eyes at me?"

Kuki looked up at him in surprise and confusion. Did she? She didn't think she did but sometimes she seemed to do these things without even recognising.

"I asked you a question!" Billy said, standing up and grabbing Kuki's arm firmly, she winced in pain as she was pulled to her feet and dragged into the woodlands, out of sight from Chad and Maurice. Billy then threw her back against a tree and placed his face inches from hers. Speaking in a harsh whisper as if trying to translate to her. "I said...I asked you a question!"

Kuki stuttered. She didn't know! She honestly didn't think she did, but the subconscious mind does these things sometimes. "I...I…"

"Why do you always have to undermine me in front o…" Billy's scolding was suddenly interrupted by another voice...Chad.

"Hey! Buddy!" He chuckled in an awkward sing song, taking Billy's wrists in his hands and tugging him away from Kuki, who sighed in relief. Chad smiled at his friend. "Come back to the warm, you and your girl will freeze over here. We've only got a little time left before the fire goes out so we'd better make the most of it!"

Billy stared at Kuki with eyes of stone before turning in the direction that Chad was attempting to move him and walking back to sit with Maurice. Chad turned to Kuki as they began to walk and mouthed to her. 'You okay?'
Kuki regained her breath. Running a hand over her smoothed hair and nodding, plastering a fake smile on her face. Chad gave her a worried look and then joined his two friends by the dimming disposable barbeque. Kuki took a deep breath and then walked over to join them, sitting opposite her boyfriend and putting her hands in front of the decreasing flame in attempt to warm up. Trying not to make eye contact with anyone. Especially him. She didn't want to piss him off any further.

The four of them sat in silence for a few minutes. Although it seemed like an awkward eternity.

"Look at you, sat there thinking that you've won...you haven't you know." Billy muttered. Kuki glanced up to see that Billy was talking to her.

She bravely cocked an eyebrow and spoke calmly. "Won? Won what?"

"You know!" Billy growled, standing up and stepping forward to her.

"Hey man! Come on, we're having a good night! Just sit down!" Maurice tried to reason.

It obviously wasn't working. Billy was now stood over Kuki, glaring down at her. He sneered. "Stand up."

"Billy what did I do?" Kuki asked, trying to sound firm but releasing it as more of a pleading squeak.

"Stand...up!" Billy threatened with a growl.

Kuki took a deep breath and did as her boyfriend told her. Turning around to face him. He stared into her eyes for a few seconds before she became aware of falling backwards. A hard pain appearing on her left cheek. She stumbled and put her hand to the now stinging area of her face. Staring in shock at Billy's now lowering hand and stern face. Maurice had stepped forward and moved him back. Chad was stood in amazement, an emotion what looked like anger and shock reading on his face. Kuki rubbed her cheek lightly before looking away, at the woodland, at the water...anywhere but at the three staring pairs of eyes.

"You know what guys...I think we ought to call it a night." Chad said firmly. Throwing the dregs of a beer can over the remains of the barbeque and extinguishing what was left of the flame. He kept glancing up at Kuki with worry as he cleaned up the surroundings. Maurice had pulled Billy aside, a little further into the woodlands. Kuki could hear a few of Maurice's words, slightly muffled from the hush of his voice and the earache that she was starting to gain.

"What did you have to do that for man?...That is not cool! You've got yourself a good, caring girl and you're treating her like shit!..No!...No Buddy you need to sort it out. You don't treat your girl like that!"

Kuki sighed and stood stationary, waiting for them to reappear so they they could just go home. She'd had enough embarrassment for one night. She jumped when Chad tugged the black bag that was now under her foot. She came back to reality and crouched down to help him. Trying to hold back the tears. "Chad, sorry! I'll...I'll help."

"Don't worry about it Kuki." Chad said quietly. They both stood up straight, the black bag now in Chad's hand. He glanced at the woodlands to ensure that Billy and Maurice were not yet coming back before he spoke in a whisper. "Are you okay?"

Kuki couldn't smile, she simply nodded. Not making eye contact. Chad wasn't convinced. "You want me to walk you somewhere? Your parents or something?"

Kuki shook her head. She couldn't just leave Billy now. It'd be like she was mad at him, then he'd be mad at her. Plus, she couldn't think of where she'd go. She spoke quietly in a mutter. "No, They don't live around here anymore. I'd rather just be home with Billy."

"Right now?" Chad asked, almost in shock. "Is that a good idea?"

Kuki nodded. "He's just a little drunk. He'll be fine when he gets home to bed."

Chad scoffed, maybe a little too loud as he looked back over at the woods to make sure that he hadn't caught his friends' attention. "Kuki, the guy's just hit you!"

"He's just drunk," Kuki repeated with a whisper.

Chad raised an eyebrow in shock. Kuki pursed her lips and then began to walk, over to the fence to wait for Billy to come out of the bushes. She slowly repeated what had happened in her head and evaluated the situation. She had embarrassed him by pointing out a flaw in front of his friends and then given him attitude when questioned about it. No wonder he'd been annoyed with her, she had shown signs of one of the girlfriends that she hated, that disrespected their other halves and reprimanding them over the simplest things.

Maurice and Billy then came out fro the woodlands. Billy staggered a little as he said goodbye to his two friends, who awkwardly said goodbye to him and continued to clean up their surroundings. Stiffly looking over at Kuki and waving goodbye, Kuki nodded in return. Billy headed towards her, taking one step back for every two forward he walked right past her saying only two words. "Come on."

Kuki said nothing and did as she was asked. Silently walking alongside him for what seemed like an eternity until they reached his car. Billy pressed the open button on his key fob and Kuki hopped in on her side. Strapping her belt in tightly. Billy then stumbled into the car and started it up.

Kuki closed her eyes. Trying to keep her mind off her boyfriend's scary driving as he swerved from one side of the road to the other, twice the speed of the dedicated limit. The two were in silence. No music from the radio, neither of them having a word to say to each other. In Kuki's mind, they couldn't get home quick enough.
She thought of the shocked faces of Billy's friends when he had slapped her on the cheek. That embarrassing feeling of them all looking at her after she had made such a performance. It had really shocked her. Billy had never hit her in front of anyone before. Sure he'd threatened the odd spank or punch, but he'd never laid such an obvious hand on her in public. She must have really deserved it.

Before she knew it, Billy had pulled up on their driveway, Kuki unstrapped her seatbelt silently and went to get out of the car before she heard the whizz of the automatic locks.

"Did you really have to make me look like a complete tool in front of the guys?" Billy asked sternly.

Kuki held her breath and said nothing, choosing to let Billy blow off his steam. He spoke again, a little louder. "This is why I don't take you out Kuki! Nothing's good enough for you and you end up making me look like the bad guy!"

Kuki gasped when Billy gripped her arm tightly. A slight twist adding some pain. His other hand then appeared on her head, shoving it away and slamming it against the window four times, Kuki kept her mouth closed, trying to stop the tears from falling. Trying not to show him what pain he was causing her. Her eyes looking down at the dashboard. Billy stopped slamming and his hand quivered on her head before giving it a harsh push and letting himself out of the car. Kuki watched him walk into the house from the corner of her eye before rubbing her now tender forehead and trying to straighten out her hair. She pulled down the vanity mirror and made sure to wipe away stray tears before letting herself out of the car and heading into the house. Preparing herself for bed, where Billy would now already be ready and waiting for the traditional good night that a good girlfriend should give.

Billy didn't look at her throughout...he would thrust and grunt and be as rough as he desired. But he didn't look at Kuki's face once. She was grateful for that, she didn't like it when he saw her weak side, when she couldn't show him a smile. He finished and pulled out of her, immediately rolling over and falling asleep without a word.

Kuki breathed deeply as she lay awake. Her face and head was sore. She felt as if she'd let him down. She mentally cursed herself for being such a thoughtless, useless girlfriend. She glanced over to Billy, who was now snoring a loud roar. The last thought she had before managing to fall asleep was...I'm sorry Billy.