Innocent (Brantley Gilbert)

Chapter 1

Brantley's POV

I'm on my way home from momma's when my phone rings and it's a saved number. What the hell! I answer the phone and instantly recognize the voice. "Jonny Guffet what the hell you doing, man" I ask, happy to hear the voice of an old friend. "Oh I'm doing good. How bout you" he asks in his unmistakable funny sounding voice. "Awe I can't complane" I answer with a chuckle. "Well I was calling to see if you wanted to come over and shoot the shit. I been trying to get ahold of you to catch up". Eh sounds like fun, what the hell. "Sure, man. I'm free pretty much every day this week" I tell him, pulling into my driveway. "Well, why don't you come by Sunday. I live in my momma and daddy's old house" he tells me as I start getting out of the truck. "That'll work. I'll see ya Friday, man" "okay, see ya" we both hang up as I'm walking into the house.

(skip to Sunday)

I leave to Jonny's house and turn on the radio and start listening. I wonder if his girl is still living with him. I remember seeing her briefly when she was a baby and a few other time's but not much more. She was a cute little thing though. Chubby, puffed out cheeks, and her knuckles were just little dimples. and definitely had a name of her momma's choosing: Snow. Everyone thought it was kind of an odd name but I always liked it. when I finally get to Jonny's I get out of the truck and go knock on the door. "Hey, man. it's good to see ya" he says opening the door and hugging me. "It's good to see you too, brother" I say hugging him back. "Come on in, man. Snow's in her room, probably won't come out" he tell me, leading me to the living room. "How old is she now? I ain't seen her since she was little" I ask him. "She's 18, working on making enough money to pay for collage". Damn, last time I remember seeing her she couldn't pronounce half her words right and she's gonna go to collage. "So how you been, man"

We talk for around an hour and the topic somehow ends up on kids. "Your kids have to respect you. Mine damn sure does" he boasts and I laugh. "There's a difference between respect and fear" I hear a girl yell coming from the hallway. "What" I ask him, curious about what she means. "No clue" Is all he says, clearly taken aback by her words. "You mind if I go see Snow. It's been a while" I ask and he nods. "Second door on the right" he tell me as I stand up. I go to the door he told me and open it. The room is painted dark gray with posters on every wall of all music artists. From Eminem to nirvana to Jonny Cash. But what's catching my attention is the lump under the camo covers of the bed and the sound of sobbing. "Snow, you okay" I ask cautiously. She rips the covers off of her head and looks at me. "Who the hell are you" she asks as my fists curl into balls of pure anger. "Who did that" I ask pointing to her black eye. "Him" she says nodding her head in the direction of Jonny in the living room. I calm my anger even though it just wants to build so I can make sure she's okay. I walk to her and lift my hand to hold her face and she backs away quickly. "You tell me who you are before you try to touch me" she orders with a look that says she'll murder me in a heartbeat if I come any closer. "I'm Brantley. one of your dads ol' buddy's, I helped pick your name" I say and her eye's light up. "They told me about you. That you never went without that hat" she says and a smile creeps onto my lips despite the anger still building. "Are you okay" I ask moving a little closer and holding her cheek so I can look at her eye. "What do you think" she asks being a smartass. "JONNY" I yell for the punk ass that hit his own daughter. He walks in the door with a gasp. "What the fuck did you do" I ask through gritted teeth. "Oh my god, baby girl I didn't mean to hit you that hard" he says walking towards her and reaching for her. "You aren't supposed to hit me at all" she tells him, pulling away. "I'm gonna talk to her for a little bit ALONE" I growl trying my best not to rip his head off. "Brantley, she's my daughter. You can't make me leave her room" he says in a pleading voice. "But I can" Snow gets out of her bed and starts pushing Jonny out of her bedroom. "Snow Emily Guffet" he uses her full name as if she's in trouble for kicking her abusive father out of her own bedroom. When she finally gets him out her door I walk up and push him one more time, slamming the door and locking it. "What happened" I ask guiding her back to her bed. She sits down on the side of her bed with her head in her hands. "This one spacifically, he said was for talking back" she says staring at her feet. "Are there anymore" I ask trying to look at her facial expression. "Not currently" she says brushing her hair out of her face. I sigh and start thinking. "Is it normal to be afraid of your parent" she asks timidly. "No!!!! Snow you shouldn't have to be afraid of Jonny. I've known him for years and I never once thought that he would hit a woman. And his own daughter for fucks sake" I say feeling horrible for the poor girl. "Your 18, have you tried looking for an apartment or something" I ask trying to think of ways to get her out of this damn house. "I've been looking for a year. Apparently Jefferson nor Maysville nor apple valley nor Pendergrass have any apartments that are cheap" she says in an annoyed tone. "You need to get outta here somehow" I say frustrated until an idea pops into my head. "Why don't you stay with me. Just until you find an apartment" I say looking over at her. "No, I can't let you do that. I'm a teenager, I'm dramatic, I suck at life. I can't let you deal with me" she says quickly and I smile at her. "First of all; all women are dramatic" I earn myself a smack on the arm for that one. "Why did that hurt me" she asks holding her hand and laughing. "Second of all; who doesn't suck at life. And I think dealing with you will be fun" I smile down at her. "Okay, but on two conditions" she says holding up two fingers. "You don't kick yourself out of your own bed so I don't have to sleep on a couch. And you don't buy me anything" she tells me her conditions and I smile. She's just like her momma, never wanting to cause anyone trouble other than ol porky. "Deal. Now how the hell are we gonna get you out of here" I ask her. She just gets up from her bed and walks to her closet. She gets an already packed bag and a pair of jeans out. "Get out, let me change and I'll meet you outside" she says sitting her stuff on her bed. "Darlin, I very seriously doubt Jonny is gonna let you go" I tell her seriously. "That's why I'm jumping out the window. Now get out before I go ahead and change in front of you" she says grabbing my hand and pulling me off of her bed. "Okay, I'm going" I say walking out of her room, but truthfully -I know this is horrible- but I wouldn't mind her changing in front of me. I go back into the living room and Jonny looks up at me, pissed. "Now you listen. I didn't mean to do that, and I don't want you going and calling child services or some shit because I accidentally gave her a bruise" he says getting in my face. "Jonny, why were you hitting her in the first place? What the fuck happened to taking her phone or not letting her go out with friends" I yell at him, letting some of my anger go. "You promised yourself in front of me that you would never hurt her. What happened to that, huh" I keep yelling at him and push him backwards. "Now, your pushing me in my own house" he says even more pissed than he was. "I'm leaving. You hurt that girl again, I'm gon' hurt you" I say grabbing my jacket off the chair and stomping out of his house. Snow comes up beside me, I'm guessing just jumped out of her window. "Stay in front of me, darlin" I mumble moving her in front of me so Jonny doesn't see her if he looks out his door. We get to the truck and I have to lift Snow up and sit her in the seat because she's too short to get in. "Thank god" she signs.