screen protector will save your phone. i used mine for months without it and bought one as "insurance" it already saved me from a massive fall. just removed the protector and put an extra on.
ebay, pack of 5 protectors for under 5 bucks.
as for what you can do NOW. id say clean the screen with alcohol and make sure there is nothing on it, and assess the damage. the screen is a fairly scratch resistant plastic so you must have taken sandpaper to it to be scuffed noticibly.
id try some plastic polish and a very fine cloth. small swirls, never the same pattern twice or youll leave swirl marks instead of a scuff.
once you buff it out (itll be never perfect, just usable) then you can put a protector over it to prevent it from getting worse in the future