As I followed the curve, the path straightened again, and I saw that one of the girls and all the boys had vanished, and the remaining girl was sat on a tree stump at the side of the track. Somewhere off to the right I could still hear voices and laughter, although now far quieter as they sounded as if they were some distance away. As I neared the girl, I could see that she was looking very sad, and seemed near to tears. As I drew level with her she looked up at me, and I could see tears glistening in her eyes. I nodded to her and said "Hi", then, seeing her tears, added, "Are you okay?" She just gulped and glumly nodded her head, fighting to hide her tears. I stopped, and squatted in front of her and said, "It's alright young lady, you can tell me. Is it something to do with the others that you were with?"

She gulped again, and then the tears really started to flow, so I reached out and patted her shoulder.

"There. There." I said and was startled as she flung herself into my arms, sobbing her little heart out, her tight warm young body pressing close to mine, her arms wrapped tightly around my neck.

Slowly her sobbing subsided, and her body stopped shaking. As suddenly as she had flung herself into my arms, she broke free and pulled sharply away from me, her face burning red with embarrassment.

"I'm so sorry," she said "I don't know what came over me. I shouldn't have done that."

I smiled warmly at her and told her that I didn't mind, adding that it is not everyday that a pretty girl jumps into my arms. She preened when I referred to her as pretty, and started to become more relaxed in my company.

"Do you really think I'm pretty?" she timidly asked, adding "or are you just saying it to make me feel better?"

I took a long hard look at her before replying. She was a petite very pretty blonde girl, with her hair in bunches and was wearing a plain white tee-shirt and a short flared skirt. The whole ensemble was finished off with white ankle socks. Sadly I couldn't see her panties, so cannot give you a complete description. Her chest was almost flat, with tiny little bumps just starting to develop, so I guessed her age to be about 11.

"No," I said, trying to sound as solemn as I could, "I don't think you are pretty. After studying you more closely I think you are really beautiful"

She looked crestfallen as I started the sentence, but her face lit up with a radiant smile as I finished. I had obviously said the right thing as she now was completely comfortable with me and seemed to be regarding me as her lifelong friend.

"So what was the problem?" I gently asked her. She looked hard at me. ......(cont)