Running Away With the Presidents Daughter

''How about everywhere?''

Lenora Levine

The Mysterious River takes out a cigarette. He offers me one, but I decline. I had never had cigarettes, or drugs, not even alcohol if you don't count the champagne I have had social gathering parties.

Some people turn to substances for relief, for a time of escape, for a second to breath, all though that is much needed in my life I had found other methods of my stress, but I couldn't say they were any better then taking a drag, or a sip of alcohol, unless you consider starving yourself to be healthy, witch hopefully you don't.

"Lenora Levine." He says after a very long pause of silence. We had walked over to a hill, full of sand and a sky full of stars. "Now I understand who you are, why you look so familiar." I stay quite, waiting for the 'Your father is the greatest president ever' speech, or the 'Your father is a fucking asshole' witch would be more my type. But neither of those come.

"You went to school at Eton right?"

My eyebrows shot up in surprise. "I did, How did you know that? Are you a stalker or something?"

"No, not quite. But I saw you, in the halls. Your freshman year. You were a pretty big deal in that school. Everyone wanted to see you and talk to you. But from all I heard you were quite quiet, and kept to yourself most of the time."

"You went to Eton?" He nodded. "River," I dug through my mind, "The only other River I knew was the Duke of Scotland. And you look nothing like him. He was a senior, with a neck tattoo and shoulder length hair. He was in a band too I think. Much shorter, he was very different from someone you might expect from a Duke's son. But he seemed pretty cool nonetheless." River chuckled, looking up at the sky.

"That was me, Little Leni. The bad boy duke's son. I went off the rails a little?" I rolled my eyes,

"You expect me to believe that? I might look dum, but I am actually very smart, for being a blonde. Even if it's not my natural hair color. So I guess it doesn't count. But you're not the Duke of Edinburgh, you just look nothing like him."

"I had a growth spurt right after college, my neck tattoo was removed a year ago, and I compromised with my father for a sleeve tattoo instead. I buzzed my hair two years back and now stay in Scotland with my family. I am more closed off and separated from the world than in my teenage years. Off the press too. No one sees me anymore, except some of my close friends. And for the band, well I was forced to leave."

"Oh wow," I look him up and down, eyeing his neck. "You're right, I'm so sorry sir. Please don't tell your father I questioned you. Who knows what he will tell my father and oh how much trouble I am already in. Shoot. Shoot."

"Relax, relax." River says gently, "I'm not going to be telling my father anything. For all I know I'm in as much trouble as your in."

"Are you sure? I should leave, it's getting late, I should get going. I wouldn't want to intrude on you for as much as I already have."

"Lenora." He said, "Look at me." I did. "I don't know what I am looking for here, in this place, but you seem to be the one thing that has sparked my mind's interests, so for heaven's sake you don't have to leave, and by all means please don't. If you must head back let me walk you home? " I shake my head and pick up the sun hat that had been on the floor. "I would not like to leave."

"Good," River says, smiling.

"Your kind for a royal. Most people tell me they can be extremely rude. Someone once told me that they told a princess that they liked her dress and she just rolled her eyes."

"I am no royal." He says, shaking his head and leaning back on his palms. "I'm nearly only a duke." I laugh and whisper, "Only."

"You're here because of your mother. Are you not?" He nodded. "She was quite beautiful, I had that right. And from what I heard, very kind indeed. It looks like she did a very good job raising you." River nodes again but this time with a small smile. "She was kind, but she was also funny, and ruthless, and much of a 'baddie' as the people call her. She sure likes to have fun. She taught me how to smoke a cigarette, and did my very first shot with me."