Janet Noakes climbed the stairs to the flat. She was alone as usual. All of her school friends lived on the other side of the school on the council estate. Janet's mother had got quite a payout from the insurance when Janet's father died and so, for the last five years, they had lived in a respectable if run down block of flats from the 1930's. Janet was the only pre-teen in the flats, so she was used to being alone. At 8 years old she was what the press used to call a "latchkey kid" back in the days when they were in the minority. Now, with the influence of Thatcherism, Majorism and finally Blair's "Third Way", going home to a parent was a luxury. Janet was a slim, almost elfin little girl with large dark eyes and long blonde hair. Except for the absence of pointed ears she was an anime artist's wet dream. She was wearing her school uniform, a grey skirt that came down to her knees and a white cotton blouse. There had been a bit of a chill that morning and so Janet's mother had sent her out in her navy blue school jumper, now, in the humid afternoon, it was slung around her thin waist. As Janet turned a corner and continued to climb she almost bumped into David Etchells. David lived on the same floor as Janet, he was 18 and she thought that he was cute although quite serious.

"Hello David."

"Uh Hello..." David blushed and carried on down the stairs. Smiling Janet carried on up. Stopping outside 4E she fumbled in her knapsack for her keys. A worried frown grew on Janet's face and she began to search again. Her keys weren't there! Janet's big brown eyes filled up with tears. Her mum wouldn't be home for over two hours and all of the neighbours worked too. Janet threw her bag to the floor and kicked the door in disgust. She sat down on the floor with her back to the wall and pulled her knees up to lean on them. She'd do her homework in a bit but felt like sitting and feeling sorry for herself for a while.

David crossed back over Kensington High Street with the latest copy of PC Shopper in his hand. He wanted to upgrade his system and, the money he'd got from the last little programming job should just about pay for it. He climbed the stairs and onto the fourth floor landing. There, halfway along the landing was Janet, the lovely little girl from two doors down. She was sitting, resting her chin on her knees. From where David was standing he could see her powder blue panties stretched over her taut little bum. David coughed quietly and walked up to the lovely 8 year old.

"Are you okay? What are you doing sitting there?"

"I've lost my keys... My mum doesn't get home until after six."

"Well, you can't sit there for hours. Uh... Do you... Do you want to come and wait at my place?"

David stuttered slightly, unaccountably nervous at talking to the little girl.

"Uhm... I'm not supposed to go off with anyone. But you're not just anyone are you? ...Okay... Thanks."

David blushed and held his hand out. Taking it, Janet got to her feet. Janet's hand felt so small and warm to David, once the little girl was on her feet he dropped it like a hot potato and walked with her to 4G and let her in.....(cont)