it crossed my mind

It was dark. It seemed to be getting darker, earlier and earlier, these days. And there were no shelvers tonight at the library, either. Naturally, it gave Kayla a sad feeling just thinking about Ian. She tried not to, but it had been so fuzzy that phone call on her birthday. She was half asleep at the time. He'd hardly talked to her, as it was.

Yet butterflies stirred in her stomach. That funny conversation with his brother Oliver. Why did she get this feeling that she wanted to know him. If only they could meet face to face. It was annoying to think about because there wouldn't be a chance of that happening. And even if she did, did she only want to meet him because he was Ian's brother?

She turned to see some blond girl waiting at the end of the counter for her.

"Is Ian here?" The girl stared at Kayla for a second, but looked around then as if he might walk by.

"He's out of town. Probably won't be back for another week." Kayla informed her.

"Where did he go? I haven't seen him at school or anything." The girl looked a little worried.

Kayla told her about his mother's death and how he'd gone back to England.

"Sorry, I didn't know." The girl hugged herself then. "Is he OK?"

Kayla just shrugged and thought it would be the end of their conversation, but the girl began to explain she was Tori's sister and how Ian had came to her birthday party. "It was like the wildest night ever." Amy smiled then.

Kayla didn't know what to say. This was one sheltered girl or did she not know anything about her sister's misbehavior the last couple of years. Yet she got the feeling Amy really liked Ian.