Remember what I said about being able to survive anyone after Montgomery? 623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCTFGn8X7VY
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKbAdfl0MyI
That was utter rubbish.623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3WekSMx0ks
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOuLa82HGkd
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.623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv9iZTMCRmu
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbkbfGre8tR
"Bloodclaat," I muttered under my breath, hauling them over threshold, since I was too lazy to make a second trip.623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdi3BecPJYn
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmB74FBes9L
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.623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdkiTs8Hjl8
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEId4ci9kwO
Finally, I got through the door, and rested them flat on the floor against the wall perpendicular the couch, beside the television.623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSknZR2Lld5
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfSh16qWUUO
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.623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoitOpgRand
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVCqK5Kyp5u
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.623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ10AHS6AeUo
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDEeA4j58p
"This was my first photography show, and I must admit, your work is closer to what can be considered as art than I expected."623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEYvzcORkTt
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ61cTXjgXaK
Closer?623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEAlH6G8DOH
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwVfvtmjBW
Closer?623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4DqRRtywAw
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAAwVlVkcPh
This is art. This is what I've dedicated my life to.623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE1vnFmBOrl
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJJEhEJDURz
"Closer?"623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8q2jbKRTwi
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKTIQ1wf2DI
He gives me a condescending smile, and then clears his throat.623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWdRSi5DIuD
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50H4JK4eWf
"You see, photography will never be art. You are simply looking through a lense—"623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUxpxdr8zZL
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI77lcJFCWk
"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.623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ35Q2cMAjlR
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ3O0lOLS2O
But he just laughs. Hard.623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVBu8cU3guy
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡup2MmIOw1j
"Relax. It was a joke. Why else would I buy your art?"623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS8SwZkSSWH
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpD8mZrp4cH
Well now, considering that that's why I'm here in the first place, I feel like a complete moron. 623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ezDOqs5d0
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJYyGLOMwAe
"When's your next showing?" he asks, assessing me with dark brown eyes.623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyyCcofeuZ0
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ81vyHzzuQ7
" 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.623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpoPxkTuDJn
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv5sb0VKGtK
And now here I am, remembered as the girl who had her showing at Mr Assclown's house.623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡam3xrjGHjI
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIjHZmnJfQW
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.623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ943nqlzJUd
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnqGDmS4TDb
"Can I give you a job?"623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmulRJ97LpB
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLvutDYzbjx
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.623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡej8YkFpUhw
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo7rWdMOEcT
"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.623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlAZgCqyqam
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBgH97VZTyd
"I have a family reunion on Friday. I need someone to take photographs."623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcRCSGzWulz
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2l2IyjDWvC
Not so bad. He'll be with others, his family, and he'll have to behave. You'll survive.623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRwOVEULI5G
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡILemjLfpJi
"I'll talk to my agent, and then call you back."623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN4VujkpQXo
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU2xqR4PgiP
"I need an answer now."623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlNw0Eum4Gf
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0MWRd5tyO4
Breathe.623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp3sowOh3cc
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUFno6Q37H
It's now almost ten p.m. I can't call him now.623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4CkFHzvjFv
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOwtCGNi0fp
"Okay. I'll do it," I agree, hoping that I won't regret this. 623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡogExUQlPdJ
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh7SHbHX8i8
***623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsqxJiLELg6
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxF2RF1nEN0
"Absolutely not." 623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdDxpjDAVsN
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzLINBMKsZa
"I already said I would, Marcus," I reply, rubbing my forehead. It's too early in the morning for this shit.623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGnILOtnp3j
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkSKSY5Dk2I
"Cancel it."623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAyZuolPAEA
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMwROO7Qd85
"I'm not going to tarnish my reputation just because you disapprove."623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmK8OfQOpt7
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSdqkgAPZTt
"Who's the agent?"623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Ufe0oXy9J
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwo7dDMFbsX
"It's still my decision! I need the money."623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKc9DQC7Cl7
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeCDfiaoXTG
"I arranged for you to meet with one of Jamaica's best photographers on Friday. His schedule is jam packed—"623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3qRdJPJ8LP
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxUots3brmK
"Then I'm sure he'll appreciate the opening. Cancel it."623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbh1Os9iN13
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv8jpDvVYJD
"Leah—"623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlDSOy8t6SW
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCuBSKG9Gph
"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."623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDvZE0LUSg
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVRYeWrBcH
I hear silence. Then, "Why don't you just bring him with you?"623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMNvWmgJIlm
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2MdfZEwdTo
I snort. "That would never work."623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTnibJCw2p4
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6EOBDtfDox
"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?"623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡryRKstzcg5
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFpKlbHEEuj
"Jesus Christ, you're a genius. And Rochester shouldn't mind because it'll probably make the photos come out better." 623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa65933g9ic
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH5B5HJHPvy
"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."623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC69n32ZV8Q
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQyZQy8K7P2
I chuckle. "Thanks, Marcus. You're always there to ever so subtly remind me that I'm teetering on the line of poverty."623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WPRDKvHYf
623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjySIsVVkUH
"Anytime, babygirl," he says with a grin that I hear through the phone. "Anytime."
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