Remember what I said about being able to survive anyone after Montgomery? 618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxQmrHe8IPa
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEDlW2MTVqN
That was utter rubbish.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYN2opmyEk0
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdd5bcLhcpk
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.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIKUg4sQYPK
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBp6y9eeETc
"Bloodclaat," I muttered under my breath, hauling them over threshold, since I was too lazy to make a second trip.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf2jTWWHFJF
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEC1ky13Qut
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.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlXTj9XSI7m
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl3jvXKPfZZ
Finally, I got through the door, and rested them flat on the floor against the wall perpendicular the couch, beside the television.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2eGKKT3auN
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQfGDVGirW
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.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiTTQpEHpKU
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcbztPIAviT
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.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY9295J0LYv
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbATTBFozc7
"This was my first photography show, and I must admit, your work is closer to what can be considered as art than I expected."618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ37R44wUYGj
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuKe1R32XPq
Closer?618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4nI7XfVM6D
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjSoS1Cn1j6
Closer?618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3wq68xqxmR
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtU9j0fOpQf
This is art. This is what I've dedicated my life to.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0uSRtXdvGR
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa7lHdPijmG
"Closer?"618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe03DwKHAXx
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDLcljicieS
He gives me a condescending smile, and then clears his throat.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6aBLbYAeTj
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFRCUamb0uh
"You see, photography will never be art. You are simply looking through a lense—"618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS734v5mbUA
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09ppkEzwXF
"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.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuWhgorXolp
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkYSacORoCS
But he just laughs. Hard.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwHJ3T77Wvu
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwW8fUXi6S9
"Relax. It was a joke. Why else would I buy your art?"618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFS5a4TvOEf
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWJDJrTgko9
Well now, considering that that's why I'm here in the first place, I feel like a complete moron. 618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHTJ9dkcsaB
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUzpvifxBWM
"When's your next showing?" he asks, assessing me with dark brown eyes.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwp8OJvlI2c
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZUFCBZDeh
" 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.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoAAM4BrAbP
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYefr8ojaIz
And now here I am, remembered as the girl who had her showing at Mr Assclown's house.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmmV8Ib8ffr
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZKt7XgZyl
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.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4w4etGSWiY
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgdBbE0GExB
"Can I give you a job?"618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeOma71KbVz
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCPrgHX4Ndg
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.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5MjQt2EB6D
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbIXW46BvBU
"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.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0E2iCWGBEV
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRI8LBdcqVQ
"I have a family reunion on Friday. I need someone to take photographs."618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG9FT7tHCtq
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzzIZvbpLhG
Not so bad. He'll be with others, his family, and he'll have to behave. You'll survive.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJDESxc6abk
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR6YPwy1YWE
"I'll talk to my agent, and then call you back."618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTw92loD1qn
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGGqlRvaHgp
"I need an answer now."618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9bR1TXE2Lw
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqR2hMd18bt
Breathe.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO4vVehIqFI
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqnzkenyB7O
It's now almost ten p.m. I can't call him now.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFaNRShIcw
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKlf3bLYoEQ
"Okay. I'll do it," I agree, hoping that I won't regret this. 618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb3ic2r8wb0
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIwJuRr5wUI
***618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Zfr0D4HMP
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHycoumYlO
"Absolutely not." 618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuqa9F44BBq
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ40GPQv0OW0
"I already said I would, Marcus," I reply, rubbing my forehead. It's too early in the morning for this shit.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsgd9QSICEw
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8DXgvrcz94
"Cancel it."618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡczT6f2LJnF
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuiwAPvJLqj
"I'm not going to tarnish my reputation just because you disapprove."618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbi28Rt8Qv5
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDVockX0FAH
"Who's the agent?"618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf27x1YelK0
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkM5xYuruqX
"It's still my decision! I need the money."618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsCa5a2fDUM
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMyuDprJsxW
"I arranged for you to meet with one of Jamaica's best photographers on Friday. His schedule is jam packed—"618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7U0GyMAItu
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1BDMNln4B7
"Then I'm sure he'll appreciate the opening. Cancel it."618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFIz4lKDK5P
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡShyqQdRUOp
"Leah—"618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG7ZuTB27To
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtTOFD6iHcd
"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."618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZhpOTY2lc
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGsmcUZb2wv
I hear silence. Then, "Why don't you just bring him with you?"618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq628MFlVob
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuwjosXgQaX
I snort. "That would never work."618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5pohZ3bePq
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡibVb3ctqbc
"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?"618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7uWbFij6Xw
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYk5qDkX9VS
"Jesus Christ, you're a genius. And Rochester shouldn't mind because it'll probably make the photos come out better." 618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ8W5qpLIFM
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3sBsYgdezw
"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."618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSiV5vIMPo2
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnA65aTWktw
I chuckle. "Thanks, Marcus. You're always there to ever so subtly remind me that I'm teetering on the line of poverty."618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq8pJbVXtr0
618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVbNsHuFk86
"Anytime, babygirl," he says with a grin that I hear through the phone. "Anytime."
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