An Influential Past

Written by CosmicTwilight

Disclaimers:

All characters herein that appear in the books belong to that of Stephenie Meyer, they are merely borrowed for pure fan use only and I gain no profit whatsoever, this is merely written from a bout of curiosity that formed after reading the books.

Synopsis:

What if there was more to Edward? What if there was more to the reason of why he was so adamant about turning Bella into a vampire? What could possible make Edward into the person that he is with Bella? So protective and yet so caring.

Author Notes:

I just wanted to thank everyone for their reviews and for adding this to their favorites I hope this becomes what you expect it to and more. I appreciate all feedback both positive and negative; after all it makes you a better writer when someone takes the time to be constructive critically. This will be going on the basis of Edward being a regular human with his special talent, also I find it hard to imagine life in the early 1900's so please bare with me.

This chapter is written in first person narrative.

Chapter One – First Impressions

I looked up as the door to the classroom opened and a young girl with long blonde hair walked into the room. She had her bag on her shoulder and a book in her arms. She handed a piece of paper to the teacher. The year was 1918, girls were just starting to be educated, in a fair way that was. The sexism was slowly dying down as the years passed. I was seventeen years old. I couldn't help but stare at this girl as the teacher took the slip, handed her a book and told her to take a place at a spare table. Convenience had it that my table was the only spare one. I didn't exactly have many friends, I had a couple. But we weren't the closest of friends.

"Hi" she whispered as she sat down, I smiled at her. Opening my book to the page we were requested to. She turned to face me; her blonde hair pulled into a low ponytail that hung over her left shoulder. She had a black ribbon in her hair. She wore a long sleeved blouse and a long skirt that reached to the ground. She looked absolutely graceful as anything.

"Hey, I'm Edward" I spoke to her, holding out my hand for her to shake. She shook my hand and smiled back at me, I noticed she blushed. A deep crimson crossing her cheeks.

"I'm Lilith" Lilith answered with a smile again, facing the front of the class. The teacher would every now and then throw a question to the class which he would hope would catch them unawares. He wasn't always successful though. I studied this figure beside me for a bit, looking at the book she'd opened on the desk. She was a junior. Two years younger than he. He was surprised to find her in this class, but thought nothing of it seeing as how half the class was juniors.

"Edward" The teacher spoke firmly, "Who was the first person to examine bacteria? And what year was that?"

I furrowed his brow as I pondered the question. "Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek and I believe it was in 1676"

The class was silent as the teacher frowned for a few seconds, before smiling broadly. "You are correct Mr. Masen". Lilith smiled as she blushed a deeper crimson when he looked at her and smirked back.

The bell rang not to long after and I closed my book watching Lilith get to her feet. "Would you like to join me for lunch?"

"Sure" Lilith answered following me to the cafeteria. She was thankful she didn't have to sit on her own today. I could tell that. We both reached for trays and carried them along the bench, each reaching for what we were after every now and then. "So what's it like here in Chicago?"

"It's not to bad" I aspirated, "Not great, but not too bad"

"Sounds convincing" I watched as she picked around the food on her tray. She threw her fork on the tray and placed her hands on the table. "I don't even feel hungry"

"Is there something wrong?" I queried. She seemed extremely frustrated. "What made you come here?"

"My father has been moved around for his job at the bank" Lilith explained, evading the first question. "At the one just down the road"

This caused me to look at her with a hint of shock. The same bank my father worked at no doubt. "My father works at that bank as well"

"Really?" she whispered, "Hey, what class do you have next?"

"I have English than Music" I breathed deeply in as I said this. I was waiting for it, the laugh and embarrassment of a guy who takes music class by his own enjoyment. But it never came.

"Me too" was the answer I got in return. "Do you play anything?"

I nodded. "The piano, I'm still learning though"

"I'd love to hear you play something"

"We'll see how lucky you are" I teased, I felt so calm with her. I didn't feel nervous like I felt with many other people. She made me feel so comfortable being here with her. I noticed the necklace she wore around her neck, long and silver with a cross that fell just over the collar of her blouse. "So do you have a boyfriend?"

She didn't answer.

After the last comment that was a couple of minutes of silence as we both fiddled with our food. Thankfully the bell rang to break the awkward silence and we made our way to the next classes.

"Boy am I glad that is over" Lilith said with a smile as we exited the school in the afternoon. "There is nothing worse than a first day, anywhere" I walked over to the bus and leaned on the side of it as three people came to towards us. They were my only friends, probably ashamed that I hadn't hung out with them today. "Excuse me, who are you?" she smiled politely at the trio who came to us. I stepped forward.

"Forgive me fair lady these are my friends. Spencer, Bianca and Ben" I introduced "And this is Lilith she just started here". Spencer had short blonde hair spiked up, he had hazel eyes. Bianca had short red hair that curled to the side; she wore a black headband in her hair that kept her fringe back. Whilst Ben was more conventional and had his black hair gelled to the side, he pushed his glasses up on his face.

"Nice to meet you Lilith" Spencer spoke to the young girl. "Will you be joining us this afternoon?"

"What are you doing?" I heard Lilith ask my 'friends'. I use the term lightly. Ben pushed Spencer out of the way and jumped infront of us.

"We are going down to the beach" Ben spoke up as Bianca smiled, linking her arm with Lilith.

"Do you surf?" Bianca asked curiously. Lilith smiled.

"Actually I have before" she smiled, "Let's give it a go, I haven't been to the beaches here yet"

I ushered them all over to my car. Lilith sat in the front whilst the others sat in the back. I pulled out of the parking spot gently and began on our way to the beach. Bianca and Lilith began to chat away as if they'd known each other for years. Looking in the rear vision mirror I noticed Spencer checking out Lilith and I couldn't help but feel a little bit jealous at this. Jealousy? For a girl I'd just met. I couldn't believe these emotions I was feeling. I breathed in deeply as we pulled into the parking lot at the beaches edge. First out of the car were Spencer and Ben who immediately ran to the shore pulling off their shirts as they ran to the water.

"Wow look at them go" Lilith answered with a smile at me. I melted. Bianca turned to me and poked me in the ribs.

"I'm going to go in the water will you two be alright here with all our stuff?" Bianca questioned looking at me slyly. We both nodded.

"We'll be fine Bianca" Lilith said with a slight giggle. She sat beside me, and we both watched the trio down on the beach. "Thank you for inviting me to have lunch with you today, it was nice to not have to sit on my own"

"Anytime" I whispered. As I kicked my feet in the sand. "So you never did answer my question earlier"

She blushed. "Oh, and what question was that Mr. Masen?"

"You never told me if you had a boyfriend" a gust of wind passed through us making her move closer to me for warmth. I felt my heartbeat increase drastically.

"Um no" Lilith answered, "No I don't, my father would probably freak if I did" she looked at me nervously. I closed my eyes as felt her body touch mine. I felt reassured that she could feel what I was feeling as well. She moved her head to my shoulder, her mouth gently grazing my neck. 'this is way too soon Edward what are you doing´ I thought to myself, before realizing she was just getting close enough to rest her head, she may not be actually trying anything. "You know what's funny?" she asked me.

"What?" I spoke softly.

"I'm not usually this confident with anyone" she whispered into my shoulder, but I could still hear her. "I'm usually the girl that falters and stutters all the time, but you make me feel so comfortable. I feel like I could tell you anything" she lifted her head off my shoulder and looked up at me. I could smell her hair, strawberry. So beautiful, I watched as the trio on the beach ran out of the water and back up to us.

"Looks cold" Lilith answered with a smile. The others smiled back as Spencer picked up some sand and threw it at Bianca.

"Cold and dirty" Spencer shouted as Bianca squealed. The small group laughed. I couldn't help but smile, I smiled a lot today I'd realized. This was unusual. I'd never smiled more than I had to; there was definitely something about this girl. This young woman.

I parked the car in the drive way and walked into the house, placing my keys into the bowl near the door. Above the bowl was a mirror, I could fix my hair. My mother was one of those ladies who liked to keep everything neat and tidy. Not a single thing out of place.

I walked into the kitchen and found my mother, her long brown hair up in a high ponytail. She had a ribbon in her hair that curled around the front. Her name is Elizabeth, today just as every other day after I got home she was in the kitchen preparing the banquet that would be our dinner. It smelt good, just as always. My mother was an amazing cook. She could make anything. I came up behind my mother and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. I don't mean to mean to sound conceited, but I do love my mother. She has done so much for me.

"Your father has invited a new employee over for dinner tonight" Elizabeth spoke softly to me, "Can you set the table for six places please?" I nodded, walking over to the cupboard and pulling down our 'entertaining' plates, placing them on the table. Then I proceeded to get the cutlery, followed by cups and serviettes. When I was finished everything was set up neatly and perfectly. Flowers in the middle of the table to decorate.

"I'm just going to do some homework before dinner okay mom?" I said as I picked my bag up off the floor and made my way to my room. Closing the door behind me. My room wasn't really fancy; there was a bed, a bookcase, a desk and plenty of books. That was really all I had time for.

I stretched out on my bed with my biology book. I frowned though when I found that I couldn't concentrate on the subject at hand. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't concentrate. All I could see was her blonde hair, her brown eyes, and feel her gentle touch. 'She certainly left quite a first impression' I thought to myself. She would be here for dinner no doubt, unless father got more than one new employee this month.

Knock Knock.

I rolled my eyes as I got up from my bed and opened the door. I stood firmly in my spot, blushing a deep crimson when I saw Lilith standing in my door way.

"Can I come in?" She asked softly, "Your mom said I would find you here"

"Um" I stuttered, "Of course" allowing her to come into the room, she made herself comfortable and sat on my bed. I sat down beside her. "I see we will be having dinner together tonight then?"

"Looks like it" Lilith answered shyly; she stretched out on my bed, leaving me to just look after her. I stretched myself out beside her. "Once again, thank you so much for today"

"Hey it was no problem, I liked hanging out with you" I answered, which wasn't exactly a lie. I loved hanging out with her, as mentioned before I've never felt so comfortable with someone else before. I'm usually someone who keeps to myself. But with her it was just something I couldn't stop. She traced her fingers along my arm, across my hands. The warmth, her hands were so smooth. I breathed in deeper with every touch. We stayed like that for a while before my father came up stairs and called us down for dinner.

Dinner passed by pretty quickly that night, it wasn't long. Lilith waved good bye to me as her parent's did and my father closed the door. I went up to my room and stretched out on the bed once more. Closing my eyes.

You certainly left quite an impression on me Miss Sampson.