Past Time

3

   I walked into biology 2, and could already see Edward sitting with Bella. I raised an eyebrow at him, but walked past him to the back and sat at a table by myself.

   A boy with pale blond hair turned in his seat to look at me, his clear blue eyes looking me over. He didn't meet a vampire's standards of good-looking, but I suppose humans find him very attractive. I smiled at him, which he took as a signal to give me a flirty smile, but then looked at Bella. Does every boy in this school have a crush on her?

 I went to gym class and immediately walked to the coach, who introduced himself as coach Clapp. I explained to him that Mother Nature was visiting me, and was excused from participating in a class for as long as needed. Taking that as my cue, I left school early, only to see Edward in the parking lot doing the same.

   "Are you leaving, too?" I asked him, walking towards my 2005 black Chevrolet Malibu. A present from Joseph.

   Edward looked at me for a moment before saying anything. "I'm leaving."

   "You're leaving?" I repeated. "You mean, you're leaving, Forks?"

   "That's what I mean." He nodded his head and opened a door to a nice-looking Volvo.

   "Why?" I asked as I walked towards him.

   He leaned against his car. "Why does it matter?"

   "I just don't see why you would want to leave Forks," I said. "Or Bella."

   He looked away from me when I said her name, and then I understood. "You're leaving because of Bella, aren't you?"

   "It's none of your business," he told me sharply.

   "But I'm probably the only one here who understands," I told him softly.

   He let out a harsh laugh. "I doubt that."

   "You shouldn't," I said, then looked at my car that was parked a few cars down from his. "Why don't you take a drive with me? I'm headed home anyways. I'll tell you all about it when we get there."

   He leaned against his car for a few minutes, before shutting his car door, and followed me to my car. When we got in, he looked out the car window, not saying anything.

I pulled out of the school parking lot and drove towards a small cottage that I rented in the forest. It's very cute, one bedroom, one bathroom, a small kitchen, and a living room with a working tv. I decided on this so I could easily hunt whenever it's needed.

   I looked at Edward as I parked in front of the cottage. "Would you like to come inside?"

"I don't see the harm in that," he shrugged and got out of my car.

"It's not a lot," I started to say as I opened the door to my cottage. "But it'll look better once I get more settled."

Edward took one look around the room before sitting down on the sofa and looking at me expectantly. "Are you going to tell me why you think you understand what I'm going through?"

   "I suppose so," I said slowly and started to tell him about myself. "I was born January fifth, 1893 in Salem, Massachusetts. I was changed when I was only nineteen years old, in 1912. I was always hard to read. I think that's why Joseph took such a liking to me. He found me intriguing. You should know I came from a poor family, very poor. My mom sold me to him, for how much, I have no idea. Joseph never told me. I think he wanted to spare my feelings."

   I paused, thinking of days from so long ago when Edward spoke up. "I was dying when Carlisle turned me. He won't change anyone unless they're dying. I learned that's because he doesn't think humans should be changed otherwise, he thinks they deserve to live a normal life. Which I agree with him." He stopped and smiled at me. "Sorry. Please, go on."

   "I was only a vampire for a few years, feeding off of human blood when I saw him. He smelled so good, and it's like his blood sang to me. A Singer, Joseph told me when I told him about the human boy I crossed paths with. I met him again a few days later. He couldn't take his eyes off of me, and I introduced myself. His name was Trevor. He was handsome. His black hair curled at the nape of his neck, his blue eyes looked as if we were always sharing a joke no one would ever understand, he had good cheekbones, and he was taller than I was. Then again, who isn't? I couldn't get enough of him. He was so full of life when I thought I had none. He lit me up, and I did the same for him. When we kissed... it was like nothing I've ever experienced before, but I told him I was saving myself for marriage, and he understood. He never pressured me, not that he could, but he was sweet in that way." I paused, then looked at Edward, who looked like he was engrossed in my story. "Trevor wanted to marry me. He told me so many times, and I kept telling him no. He never gave up though. After a few months of him asking, I wondered why I couldn't? He was about to turn nineteen, he was only eighteen when I met him, I could turn him. He could become just like me, and we could spend multiple lifetimes with each other. I knew he was going to ask me again the night I decided to see him, so we planned to meet in the woods to have a picnic. I was going to tell him yes, then tell him everything. He would have said yes, I just knew he would, but he didn't come. The next day, when I went looking for him, he was nowhere to be found. He was just, gone. Someone later told me that he was dead, someone killed him in an alley that he was passing through to meet me. It took a lot for Joseph to calm me down, but Trevor and I wouldn't have worked. He deserved more than I could give him. A life to have a family, and grow old. It was selfish of me to want otherwise."

   "I don't think it was selfish at all," Edward told me. "And I'm sorry that your Trevor died. But maybe it was for the best."

   "Joseph thought so, too," I said. "But it's all in the past."

   "Have you found anyone else?" Edward asked me.

   I shook my head. "It's not like I'm looking for him, just the right one." I looked Edward over. "Do you think she's the one?"

   He hesitated, then shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know."

   "Don't think she is just because you can't read her thoughts. I'm sure there are plenty of positives to not being able to read her, but I believe there are more negatives once you look at the big picture," I told him.

   "I understand that very well, Audrey." He snapped at me.

   "I'm sure you do," I told him smoothly. "But you should also listen to your heart. Just because it's not beating, doesn't mean it's not still there."

   Edward looked at me in surprise. "I- Thank you."

   I smiled at him. "Not everyone is against you, and I'm here if you ever need someone to talk to. I can drive you back to your car so you can leave unless you want to stay."

   "Stay here?" He asked me, his face looking even more surprised.

   "If you like," I told him. "But I also just meant Forks in general. There's no reason for you to leave here."

   He nodded his head and stood up. "Right. Of course. I can walk back to my car, thank you."

   "Don't act like that. We just met, I understand that, but you don't have to act so cold towards me. There's no need for that." I told him, resisting that urge to touch him.

   He already had the door open and was ready to go when he turned to look at me. "I understand as well that we just met, but I can't help but feel something towards you. The same something that I feel towards, Bella. I wasn't just running from her, I was running from you, too. If I do decide to leave, I'll be back, I'm sure, in time to see you again." And then he left.