Can I Walk You Home?

Woman Vs. Words - Day 6

1932

Rose wasn’t going to turn around, no matter how much noise the boys behind her made. She was only a few blocks from home and could scream loud enough so her older brothers would come running. That wasn’t going to be necessary though. If she ignored them, they would go away.

“Rosie, Posie, why won’t you talk to us?” A boy called Jimmy taunted her from twenty paces behind. The other two boys walking with him laughed. It was the same thing every day. Somehow the sophomore boys found her. Whether she left the school first, walking at a breakneck speed, or stayed a few minutes late, they always seemed to find her when she got a block away from the school. 

Her heart beat out of her chest, but Rose kept her chin pointed up and eyes set forward. If she didn’t stumble, she’d be okay. Upperclass boys always liked to tease freshman girls like her. The others laughed at the cajoling, but Rose wasn’t interested. She didn’t want their attention, especially loud-mouth, long-faced Jimmy.

“Rose, I can see your panties from here. Your skirt is blowing up in the back.” 

The other two sniggered at Jimmy’s jab. Although she knew her skirt had to be down, she ran her hand over her backside just to make sure. She’d be mortified if her panties were showing. Jimmy would never let her hear the end of it.

“Leave me alone, Jimmy. I’m just trying to walk home.” She kept up the pace, steady and continuous. If she ran, they’d chase. There was no way she could slow, though, they’d catch her. 

“I just want to talk to you. Why don’t you stop and let me?”

Rose shook her head and kept moving forward. 

Across the street, one of the senior boys moved toward them, making Rose’s throat catch. He was stocky, with big hands and a thick chest. She’d never talked to him before and wasn’t sure what he was about. Jimmy was annoying, but harmless. The trio would follow her home, harassing her the entire way, but the additional boy meant trouble. Jimmy would talk about seeing her panties, the upper class boy might pressure her to see them.

“What are y’all following her for?” The light-skinned boy yelled. 

From the corner of Rose’s eye, it looked like he was headed for her. She turned to watch him cut right for Jimmy and his friends. Go home, keep going, her mind yelled, but she couldn’t. Her feet stopped. Rose turned to watch the newcomer walk straight up to Jimmy, then push him hard in the chest with both hands. Jimmy fell hard on the sidewalk. The wide grin he’d been teasing Rose with had been knocked off. The other two backed away at the older kid’s arrival. They stopped and stared.

“Leave her alone. Y’all follow her everyday. I don’t want to see none of ya on this block no more.” The boy jogged the few paces between where Jimmy lay on the ground and where she watched.

“Are you alright?” he asked, his voice thick and deep.

“I’m fine, thank you.”

“Can I walk you home?”

“That isn’t necessary. I’m not far.” 

He’d stopped Jimmy, but there was no telling what he was liable to do to her.

“If you don’t mind, I’m going to walk behind you. Just so no one else messes with you.” He cut his eyes back to the trio, who’d begun to walk in the opposite direction.

“You don’t have to do that,” Rose said.

“Go on, now.” He settled it with a wave of his hand. 

Rose turned and resumed her pace, walking with her chest forward and nose in the air. When she was a good distance away, the boy followed. Resolved to not look back, Rose kept her gaze forward until she reached the sidewalk in front of her house. She clicked up the few stairs of her house, not turning around until she reached the safety of the porch. When she did look, the boy was there, waiting on the sidewalk.

“They shouldn’t give you anymore trouble,” he called across the yard. She nodded and he gave her a wave, starting back toward the direction they’d come.

“Wait! What’s your name?” she yelled.

The boy stopped. “I’m Joe.”

“I’m Rose. Thank you.” Joe waved again, and set off, disappearing around the corner. 

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The picture above was taken from the New York Public Library Digital Collection.

The short story was written as part of my Woman Vs. Words Challenge. Check out my Youtube Channel to learn more.