Bounty (Leland Chapman Fanfiction - Unedited)

8

"It's dark out, and it's just me," Leland assured her as they walked down to the shore.

"Will you at least tell me what's in the bag?" Maggie asked, clutching her flannel.

"Remember when I told you about how I catch my own fish?" Leland asked, setting the bag down. All he had told her so far was to change into something to go swimming in, and to come with him. Maggie stopped and looked at Leland, a smile creeping on her face. "That's what we're gonna do."

"Why are you making me do this?" Maggie asked.

"Go fishing?"

"No, go swimming."

"Isn't that what you came to Hawaii to do?" Leland grinned.

"I guess that's part of it but I didn't think about it. I was more focused on the bounties. And on beating your ass in tennis."

"Look, my family is gonna make you swim eventually. Might as well go now, where it's just me, and nobody can see you because it's, you know, dark out." Maggie sighed, looking at him. He stepped up to her, putting his hands on her arms. "Nobody is going to stare, nobody is going to ask questions. They aren't noticeable unless you really look, which nobody is going to do."

"Okay," Maggie gave in. "What are we doing?"

"I'm gonna show you. Go in the water, when it's up to your waist, stop. You'll feel the current of fish swimming on your legs, then let me know. I'll bring the light over and you're gonna catch 'em."

Maggie trusted him, releasing the flannel and going out in the water as Leland got the flashlight and net ready. Maggie stopped, the water was up to her waist, and she waited, looking at Leland. She felt the water moving and cringed. "That's weird," she whispered as Leland came out to the water. He moved slow, shining the light in the water and handing Maggie a small net. With a swift motion, she caught a bright yellow and blue fish, raising the net up. Leland smiled, taking the net from her and walking back to shore, putting the fish in a bucket that had water in it. Maggie stayed in the water, swimming back into deeper water, watching Leland.

He turned back, looking at her. "What are you doing?" He asked.

"Swimming, isn't that what I came to Hawaii to do?" She mocked. He came back into the water, swimming to where Maggie had traveled. "Are you standing?"

"Yeah," Leland smiled, the water up to his chin.

"How?"

"Because I'm not short," he mocked. She smiled, grabbing onto his shoulders and kissing him, which he returned, holding onto her waist. He held her close, their lips moving in sync. "So what's this douchebag boyfriend of yours name?" Leland asked, breaking the kiss.

"You just love to ruin the mood, don't you?" Maggie asked. "Derek. He's 21, a little shorter than you, black hair and green eyes. He plays football and other than that, has absolutely no ambition. He is on the verge of dropping out of college and hates Danny. We met at a football game my freshman year, homecoming. We dated for a year, a year of me telling him no and him not wanting to accept that."

"Does he still talk to you?"

"No, he tries but I blocked him on everything because it turned into harassment." Maggie looked at him, still clutching to his shoulders. "You can trust me."

"I know, but I don't trust him, it's good to know what I'm up against." He smiles.

"You don't have any competition," she grinned, kissing him once more.

Eventually, the two traveled back to the house, where Maggie went into her room to dry off and change clothes, and then she met Leland back in his room, where they both sat on his bed, put on a movie, and Maggie continued with her story.

"So it's hard for me to smell certain types of alcohol, I've gotten better, but it's still tough. When I drink, if I'm in control, I drink a lot. Alcoholism is in my genes so I try to avoid it if I'm around people I don't know," Maggie sighed. Leland listened, wanting to know everything about her. "That's why Danny was nervous about me coming here. Certain smells or phrases or sounds trigger my fight or flight."

"I have to ask this," Leland started, leaning back against his pillows. "If, during a bounty, you walk off or turn away from something, how do I know the difference between you getting upset versus just a normal movement?"

"My face, and I also twitch or fidget with my hair or fingers when I'm anxious. If I can't handle myself, you'll be able to tell. Danny says when he looks at my eyes when I'm like that, he feels my anxiety. I think he's bullshit but, I don't know." She leaned back on the pillows as well, resting her head on his arm that was extended. "But I can handle myself. Danny makes it out like I'm still the little girl that doesn't know what to do. But I'm not. I can handle myself."

"That's why my Dad wanted you here with us," Leland smiled.

"Yeah, okay," Maggie snickered, resting her head more on Leland's shoulder.