Remember what I said about being able to survive anyone after Montgomery? 622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsMLlzvIcxh
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcf6RQGkD2g
That was utter rubbish.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjl2TGbJ4KH
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡthSHhCi6bB
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.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9QHJaUN1K
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZJ1zy4iIk
"Bloodclaat," I muttered under my breath, hauling them over threshold, since I was too lazy to make a second trip.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyuqXt4QQYM
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡULH4MSt9RI
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.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxtS4uyxkRm
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzLjooGqhtX
Finally, I got through the door, and rested them flat on the floor against the wall perpendicular the couch, beside the television.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrBEXBFP8SP
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRcjMGus2zb
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.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUUSWRQyaHv
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5zdZm1ao4i
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.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW4KNiUJj7A
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqGgxrnRvb
"This was my first photography show, and I must admit, your work is closer to what can be considered as art than I expected."622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtMchk6TVPH
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV7nuppQBa2
Closer?622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYocJUaopmP
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW86LZ5UAR7
Closer?622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcYENm4qR74
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLp9pTNNBr7
This is art. This is what I've dedicated my life to.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwLZiI58WV0
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2AG6H65kEo
"Closer?"622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyWEFbw02J8
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrxa5n0b3ws
He gives me a condescending smile, and then clears his throat.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfTVl4XBi3y
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3rd5GQYG4t
"You see, photography will never be art. You are simply looking through a lense—"622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ3MiYyHQJc
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx9KREvR5ii
"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.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTLK6fprZah
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIbCxOpL93t
But he just laughs. Hard.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUQlU5LuDJG
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgaCN6RPH3m
"Relax. It was a joke. Why else would I buy your art?"622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡscn242ywBh
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGV33XZGbxq
Well now, considering that that's why I'm here in the first place, I feel like a complete moron. 622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBesOPVusg2
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcTf0n0tcqM
"When's your next showing?" he asks, assessing me with dark brown eyes.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyF4SYRNp3g
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrqLU2BspO1
" 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.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8JH5rf2c2x
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy5DwjMjT03
And now here I am, remembered as the girl who had her showing at Mr Assclown's house.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqWo32HL0yU
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡznIeB145z2
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.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx0nlzvAzHS
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaxKTrr8rZm
"Can I give you a job?"622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz7Ekflh896
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBMjF4xGLaX
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.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfjrMSqAEqK
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3psBgSsXQI
"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.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIMrq7FVPPk
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvtACpgVEOQ
"I have a family reunion on Friday. I need someone to take photographs."622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFWjIC6a7Wc
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9uZR8wGqpd
Not so bad. He'll be with others, his family, and he'll have to behave. You'll survive.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiEGxaMIzcW
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ4okMZNbeX
"I'll talk to my agent, and then call you back."622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfqpNIg6ri7
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡceqF0q4gHE
"I need an answer now."622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXVqir7mCiF
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfAz2Twqppn
Breathe.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCWw3gBxxQ0
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAt3rJG8Ji7
It's now almost ten p.m. I can't call him now.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4TMXHdNnn
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUeA7WkMSgW
"Okay. I'll do it," I agree, hoping that I won't regret this. 622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJA0fcMIKPO
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrsPdz0mBz0
***622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOGRTNUNUFR
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJiSID7eEli
"Absolutely not." 622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGmUn7Tvxns
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbDknsNfFKD
"I already said I would, Marcus," I reply, rubbing my forehead. It's too early in the morning for this shit.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVnX8kx4sWD
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7fjndB2kz8
"Cancel it."622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3L28IKIu1U
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnNT3R2xxjH
"I'm not going to tarnish my reputation just because you disapprove."622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNBSc6RvruO
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡufRobP0uwv
"Who's the agent?"622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF7koitv2Sy
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxApSDVIWc
"It's still my decision! I need the money."622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGIpOtzQr33
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbeFvxS72za
"I arranged for you to meet with one of Jamaica's best photographers on Friday. His schedule is jam packed—"622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC7fCeZ3sxP
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtgxRsee1Ph
"Then I'm sure he'll appreciate the opening. Cancel it."622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeOEo76LMwd
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLjAErXe5DL
"Leah—"622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoFm36Cb0P1
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVnZY0RjWtj
"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."622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXeedpLzP1S
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhhXEpR6E0I
I hear silence. Then, "Why don't you just bring him with you?"622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAfHaNbE8aY
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZq34JSr2hg
I snort. "That would never work."622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeT86mFukKX
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkUm5h0y0Jh
"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?"622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYzsEfMjxNE
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhAmN2HrXJS
"Jesus Christ, you're a genius. And Rochester shouldn't mind because it'll probably make the photos come out better." 622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPowXaa6NFI
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKzQZC3TgD2
"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."622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXOd5mRqgJG
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡecj2vudvZA
I chuckle. "Thanks, Marcus. You're always there to ever so subtly remind me that I'm teetering on the line of poverty."622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXxzfkoLyeO
622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7wEB4WgL0Z
"Anytime, babygirl," he says with a grin that I hear through the phone. "Anytime."
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