Governor's Daughter (A Mush Meyers Love Story)

Chapter 14: My Savior

I basically ignored my father’s existence for the next week. He tried to talk, tried to tell me what I did was for the best, but I hated him. I just wanted him to drop dead so I could be with Mush. I hadn’t seen Mush since I yelled at him and I supposed that was a good thing. I felt that if I saw his face, I would burst into tears.

                That next Friday, I was walking down the streets at night. I had stayed at school late to help my teacher with something. Time had escaped me and I had no other way to get home than to walk. The streets were quiet except for some people and the noises coming from the bar in the middle of town. I had my shawl wrapped around me, trying to beat the cold. I was about to cross the street when I felt someone grab my shawl. I turned around to strange man with tussled brown hair and the smell of whiskey on his breath. I struggled to get my shawl back. He grabbed me, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me closer to him.

                “You’re that girl in the papers,” he slurred, “The governor’s daughter right? The one who was hangin’ around with that street kid. You like dirty things, little girl?”

                “Let go of me!” I screamed.

                He put a hand over my mouth. “Why are you screaming? I thought you liked things rough. Rough and dirty is what you like? I can give you something rough and show you just how dirty things can be.”

                I bit his hand and he moved it from my mouth. That made him mad and he slapped me across the face making me fall into the alley we were in front of. I tried to get away, but he grabbed me again pressing me up against the wall.

                “That’s right, little girl, squirm,” he smirked, “Act like you don’t like it. It’ll make it more interesting for me.”

                He tore the bottom of my skirt trying to lift it up. He put his hand back over my mouth and I could taste the metallic blood coming from the wound I had just made with my teeth. Suddenly, the man was knocked over the head. He fell to the ground and blood came from his new injury. I looked up to see who my savior was. It was Mush holding an empty trashcan that now had a blood stain on it. He looked at the man making sure he didn’t move before putting the trashcan down.

                “Stupid scum,” Mush muttered under his breath. He looked at me. “Are you alright?”

                I nodded my head. “J-Just scared, that’s all.”

                “Whatcha doin’ walkin’ the streets at night? Ya know Manhattan ain’t the safest place.”

                “I got held up at school. Why do you care? Still trying to get on my good side? I told you I never did care about you.”

                Mush sighed. “Now ya makin’ me regret savin’ you. There was truly no love for me at all?”

                I couldn’t look him in the eyes and tell a lie. I looked at my feet. “No, there wasn’t.”

                “Look at me, Anna.”

                “I can’t.”

                He tilted my head up. “Why not?”

                “Because I can’t lie to your face.”

                I ran away down the street. I could hear Mush calling for me. I stopped running when I heard his footsteps behind me. He stopped when he got to me and turned me around to face him.

                “Everythin’ you said to me was a lie?” Mush asked.

                “Yes, I didn’t mean any of it,” I sobbed.

                “Den why ya say it?”

                “Because I had to. My father made me. If I didn’t break up with you, he was going to send me to boarding school in California. I figured breaking up with you was better than not seeing you at all ever again.”

                “Boarding school?”

                “I don’t want to go to boarding school. I don’t want to be without you. I’m just so confused.”

                I couldn’t say anything before Mush kissed me. I tangled my fingers in his hair and kissed him back wishing it would be easier for us to be together. We pulled away from each other slowly.

                “I love you,” Mush whispered.

                “I wish it were that easy,” I said back and backed away from him, “I have to go home.”

                I turned around and walked the rest of the way back home.