This happened about 2 years ago when I was a sophomore in high school. My best friend and I decided that we would walk from our school to her dads house because it was a nice day out and we thought “why not?” besides he lived close to me.
We hung around talking for a bit with her dad when they offered to walk my half way home. It was only a 8 minute walk at most but decided I wouldn’t mind the company, plus her dad was really cool to talk too. I didn’t like walking through a particular part of my neighborhood because it was a little rough. Me being paranoid and not liking being around that type of scene I decided to take a shorter route. It was through a quiet neighborhood and if I walked straight down a few blocks, I would see my neighbors house and be home in no time. After they walked me about half way down the long quiet street we said our good bye.
Almost immediately after I hug them goodbye, I look over across the street to see an average look man, although he’s staring a bit too much I brush it off. I was used to being stared at weird old men and their weird comments, I learned to ignore it. Anyway, I continue walking, putting on my headphones and minding my own business, though I would try and sneak small glances at the man across the street, only to find him looking at me every time.
My heart started to race as I’m a pretty paranoid person but I saw a moving truck and some men coming in and out of a house so I started to feel safe. If something happened at least there were witnesses, right? After passing the moving truck along with the men, the man across the street started to cross the street and picked up his pace to go walk in front of me.
He says, “it’s pretty cold out. Should you be wearing a jacket? How’s a sweater supposed to keep you warm?” I give a small uncomfortable smile and he turned around and continues to walk. One thing I notice is that he’s slowed down significantly, forcing me to slow down my walking as well. In my head I’m replaying all those Law and Order and other crime show scenes where the attacks go down.
Dramatic I know.
I mentally make a list of his appearance.
-About 5’8 -African American -mid to late 20s -wearing all black
I laughed at myself in my head. Nothing is gonna happened to me. It’s not show or anything, I’m fine and I’m almost home.
At this point I decide to cross the street in order to make a right and then I’ll be able to see my house and know for sure I was safe. Before I got to the end of the street I had this really bad feeling over come me, worst than before. I decided to stop my music, that was playing lowly, completely off. And I listened. The picked up his pace once again but this time he was on his phone while looking at me. I could hear him on his phone, describing something, someone. And I was horrified when I realized he was describing to someone on the phone what I was wearing and how I looked. I picked up my pace even more but i didn’t want to alarm him.
I was startled when I heard someone shout, “hey, how old are you!?”
I pretended to not hear him but he continued to say it louder looking right at me. I finally yelled back, “why?” But he continued to yell “How old are you! Tell me how old you are!” Still holding that damn phone and every time I answered, “why?”
It got to a point where the anger on his face was easily recognizable and then I saw him take a step in my direction, onto the street, I ran to it before him. Not many cars pass by here because the main street was a streets over but I hoped that when I went into the street to try and flag a car down, that one would appear and one did. A red car slowed down and I ran to the drivers window, tapping on the door and asking for help. An older woman asked me what was wrong and after briefly telling her what happened, she told me that she would give me I did home, which was just down the end of the street. The whole time I didn’t bother to see if the man was near me or not. When I got into the back seat I was shaking horribly and felt like I couldn’t t breath. The woman gave the man a death glare as he crossed the street and passed the car, looking at me and my savior. The woman dropped me right outside my house and I thanked her over and over again for helping me.
I don’t know what would have happened if she wasn’t there to help, sometimes I don’t even like to think about it. After that I hated going out, the paranoia of knowing he probably lives close to me and I might see him one day scares me. I don’t wear the clothes from that day anymore and I don’t ever go out with my hair up, scared that he’ll see my face and know who I am.
I told my best friend after I got home about what happened and she helped me through it. I also told my other best friend about it and she had picked part every stupid choice I made that just made the situation worst and what she would have done if she was me. Needless to say we aren’t friends anymore.
Sorry this was so long and thank you for taking the time to read my experience. I wish I could see the woman one last time to thank her for her help again and as for the guy that followed me home, let’s not meet again.