Remember what I said about being able to survive anyone after Montgomery? 625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqWkWgBFQSS
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkyTxYHOBvz
That was utter rubbish.625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2pNihAdMKx
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3WIH7d71RI
The first thing that struck me as I hauled the heavy-as-fuck photograph into Mr Rochester's studio apartment, the edges of the badly cut hard plastic casing digging into the skin of my fingers, is that his walls were bare. You'd think that someone who spends one hundred and twenty thousand on photographs would, at the very least, have a two bedroom with a few paintings on his walls.625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt85wwKdeCY
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXjreRcIpFo
"Bloodclaat," I muttered under my breath, hauling them over threshold, since I was too lazy to make a second trip.625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9NwydFxg5D
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLGvVBUaAZB
He was sitting, relaxed, on the sofa opposite the television, and eyed me curiously as I struggled to get through the door, offering no assistance.625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgt94AZuhxZ
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6R78uld19
Finally, I got through the door, and rested them flat on the floor against the wall perpendicular the couch, beside the television.625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsoMfTDALZo
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcTv7dxjQSC
I'm now on my third beer — he offered me, then directed me to the mini bar, not bothering to get up, and asking me to get one for him — trying to calm my nerves. My hand is shaking with the effort to not crush the beer can.625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ASgvdX1R2
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVCJuXBNZeF
He keeps saying little things, specifically designed to piss me the hell of. Like how I should sleep more to get rid of the bags under my eyes, when I sleep for eight to ten hours every night. Or asking me if I want I brush, when I have the perfect style for kinky curly hair — kind of like how Tip from Home wares her hair out.625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjYXxMB8kPq
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPF2bNPWFz4
"This was my first photography show, and I must admit, your work is closer to what can be considered as art than I expected."625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFtISN1cVag
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7qkjypSXFM
Closer?625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnNuJIKZrak
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBDZkSUR4Yg
Closer?625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp8XADpZR0K
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRephvMjsrM
This is art. This is what I've dedicated my life to.625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxW6HXF5NqD
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzXMt0Gxfc2
"Closer?"625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWoth1XOLmH
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM0uwP4RvDY
He gives me a condescending smile, and then clears his throat.625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1sOfiiOKol
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbcHhBXMWIP
"You see, photography will never be art. You are simply looking through a lense—"625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4juqrzlVkG
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWPnTZ2qibL
"Lighting, mirrors, filters, focus, the subject, angles and so. Much. More. Are a part of photography. One angle, one filter, one ray of sunlight could be the difference between erotic asphyxiation and a psychopath ex on a rampage. Don't you dare demean my art like that." By the time I'm done, I'm heaving, taking deep breaths to make up for the oxygen that I just lost. I'm so tired of having the same argument, defending my job to people over and over again.625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZbmPcuz4Nn
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmL9rQTXDcf
But he just laughs. Hard.625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaHjTIS6pUH
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHReHOWUgGi
"Relax. It was a joke. Why else would I buy your art?"625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJVWVRWdysW
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ910fguVYqP
Well now, considering that that's why I'm here in the first place, I feel like a complete moron. 625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNIq1CiRx6P
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnkaQ5yP48A
"When's your next showing?" he asks, assessing me with dark brown eyes.625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEMdBMSfcTc
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWDn1ajLa2B
" I don't know. Didn't plan one." The truth is that I don't really do showings — don't really like them. But Marcus insisted on me having that one, saying that he'd advertised well, on my behalf, to all the right people, and it would give me experience as a photographer. When it got cancelled, I'd worked for months, just worked too hard to just let it go down the drain.625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO91RdVLqPz
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyroMETCX2P
And now here I am, remembered as the girl who had her showing at Mr Assclown's house.625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLfJrQQx1jA
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW0kJIt7X74
Now, he's looking at me, assessing me. I can see him weighing the pros and cons, see the question that he so desperately wants to ask me in his eyes — a question that I don't want, that I'm dreading, but I need. Like the most bitter liquid medicine imaginable.625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFmIiPdfB9W
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0RsikyvknF
"Can I give you a job?"625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ86GxmDY3k6
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaAP6HIgFDv
Now I want to cry. Really, really break down sobbing. Because I don't want to see this man ever again, but I do need money. I need it really fucking badly.625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcgPWqY5Bsr
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcFPnRkFm38
"What's the job?" I ask hesitantly. With his level of arrogance, he could well want me to take pictures of his dick. But at this point, I'd take a picture of a turd for money. The seventy thousand that he gave me can barely cover my water bill, and food for the month, plus the fifty thousand dollar minimum I put aside in my various bank accounts — I never put it all in one account — every month for a house. Thank goodness for solar panels, because that leaves me with no light bill. Rent, gas money... I'll have to find that elsewhere.625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbzJ5VwuOYT
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqeJMymR2Yk
"I have a family reunion on Friday. I need someone to take photographs."625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuhPCmDYJiE
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVAfJTlMccV
Not so bad. He'll be with others, his family, and he'll have to behave. You'll survive.625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYCvUh3Vjw8
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzaHZVzJNIp
"I'll talk to my agent, and then call you back."625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Dmwc9tzMu
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0KHd6sczqY
"I need an answer now."625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNJKfhsGH04
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcH1WQPhJqM
Breathe.625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaitL52jYYe
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmOjAXl8g0F
It's now almost ten p.m. I can't call him now.625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡouBWj284vA
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNqK0WNxyI3
"Okay. I'll do it," I agree, hoping that I won't regret this. 625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGwNaeCto5s
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhHrjDRYZnY
***625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCqhpG7DvCW
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdhnrC7LQ6f
"Absolutely not." 625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQGmEAVW3W
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGUyXfwk0Ju
"I already said I would, Marcus," I reply, rubbing my forehead. It's too early in the morning for this shit.625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFDooOGtDZ
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSxIQH2VpN9
"Cancel it."625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6q3nwKDsXh
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ28P5cSvNun
"I'm not going to tarnish my reputation just because you disapprove."625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfuAADMjKTt
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaAMZgFLZRT
"Who's the agent?"625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJilsMSOe3r
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ3CJFsmJRX
"It's still my decision! I need the money."625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlZCmcv3vzR
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVc1iPUDmO5
"I arranged for you to meet with one of Jamaica's best photographers on Friday. His schedule is jam packed—"625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLV7SUOu6QL
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9zukaEHf5I
"Then I'm sure he'll appreciate the opening. Cancel it."625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC7XZR12Rms
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXAnXCUzI1
"Leah—"625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFgsJGU0Ijp
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxDO2KDQpSs
"I said cancel it, Marcus!" I let out a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry. It's just that... I'm under a lot of pressure right now. I don't like this guy. He's such an asshole."625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡly2FhBPlYa
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYxCM8yr4Ln
I hear silence. Then, "Why don't you just bring him with you?"625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09IBvYFL05
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5l4uLbISca
I snort. "That would never work."625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZy66n5EmHj
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNnzHTMcoWP
"Stop and think about it for a second, Leah. Shemarré Martin is a photographer. He wants to give you tips on photography. Where and when better to do that than while you're photographing?"625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk1pGqSkXnm
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUAqazGB1be
"Jesus Christ, you're a genius. And Rochester shouldn't mind because it'll probably make the photos come out better." 625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ54LgmGViNt
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ455mvkOTRG
"See, there's always a solution." I can hear the smile in his voice. "Now since you're free today, and I don't work for you for free, I suggest that you get off your lazy ass and hustle."625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBZyyX3ev0I
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7W8vsAQFeS
I chuckle. "Thanks, Marcus. You're always there to ever so subtly remind me that I'm teetering on the line of poverty."625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLRQyZ4yiEG
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4JJ0C82LsZ
"Anytime, babygirl," he says with a grin that I hear through the phone. "Anytime."
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