On April 7th, 2022, in Vancouver, a 19-year-old woman, who we’ll refer to as Jane, attended an Olivia Rodrigo concert with her friend, a 21-year-old named Sarah. After an energetic night filled with music and excitement, the two had planned to part ways to catch different transit routes home. While Sarah took her time browsing for concert merchandise, Jane waited in the long line for the bus outside the venue.
As Jane stood there, a man who appeared to be much older approached her. He struck up a conversation about how he’d come all the way from the island just to see Olivia Rodrigo, and how he was staying at a downtown hotel. Jane, feeling uneasy, remained distant in her responses. Luckily, Sarah arrived just in time to provide some level of comfort. The man lost interest momentarily and turned his attention to other concert-goers in the line.
When Sarah’s bus arrived, she said her goodbyes and left Jane alone once more. Almost immediately, the older man returned, suggesting they move to a less crowded bus stop together. Jane politely declined, hoping to appear disinterested. She buried herself in her phone as they waited but could feel the man’s gaze lingering on her.
As the bus finally arrived, Jane found herself standing next to the man, who continued to engage with other girls, yet his stare remained fixated on her. It was uncomfortable, and Jane felt her anxiety creeping in. A few stops later, she overheard two women speaking in Spanish—a language she was fluent in. Gathering her courage, she approached them and expressed her discomfort about the older man hovering nearby.
The women, a mother and daughter, quickly understood the situation and assured Jane that they would stick together until they reached their respective destinations. This gave Jane a sense of relief as they boarded the train at the bus station. However, as they navigated towards the platforms, she spotted the man again, this time descending the escalator towards her. He had been watching her, and he lingered in the vicinity, making her heart race.
Now feeling an overwhelming urgency, Jane realized the need to act. The train doors were about to open, and she thought of her safety above all. When the train finally beeped, signaling the doors were about to close, Jane made a split-second decision to jump off the train just as the doors began to close behind her. As the train pulled away, she caught the man’s furious expression through the window, his eyes wide with anger as he realized he had lost her.
Standing on the platform, Jane felt a rush of adrenaline as she watched the train fade into the distance. Her heart was pounding, and she took a moment to breathe, grateful to be out of the precarious situation. She made it home safely that night, but her encounter left her shaken.
After reaching home, Jane took to Twitter, hoping to find the two women who had helped her during that tense moment. She wanted to express her gratitude, acknowledging how their presence had made a difference in a potentially dangerous situation. Despite not being able to connect with them, Jane wanted them to know how much their support meant to her.
As for the man who had tried to follow her, she hoped never to cross paths with him again.
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