Remember what I said about being able to survive anyone after Montgomery? 600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50HA5PUh8o
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkGomv5bcdk
That was utter rubbish.600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR4tEtD3pMS
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1zzcf3UjzV
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.600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKwhp75FeUo
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhH7hehBq9Q
"Bloodclaat," I muttered under my breath, hauling them over threshold, since I was too lazy to make a second trip.600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS60DPiU3hN
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcbacuCLFQG
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.600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Ya9qUTDq9
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Finally, I got through the door, and rested them flat on the floor against the wall perpendicular the couch, beside the television.600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8IzNeq2qLD
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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.600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ83c06Pknc1
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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.600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwm7ReYNi7J
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPcOTWyv32f
"This was my first photography show, and I must admit, your work is closer to what can be considered as art than I expected."600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMV1UnUQfAB
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPoCVVurG64
Closer?600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX9eH5POh9w
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0vADTlHaEC
Closer?600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFur1VO3vxG
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOdmUWc092W
This is art. This is what I've dedicated my life to.600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVQrzv9dZjB
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyEWXgcfBMg
"Closer?"600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWC7wz4ZkKa
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNuwivdj3ty
He gives me a condescending smile, and then clears his throat.600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKNeumJNROI
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFfGfFddVW9
"You see, photography will never be art. You are simply looking through a lense—"600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpxbmdro1G3
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBAfMfYNp27
"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.600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdPthKHlQht
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7BA3YfsgHR
But he just laughs. Hard.600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ZHify4t0e
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jbxpBuHbZ
"Relax. It was a joke. Why else would I buy your art?"600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUTrHOJZgU7
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0vT9M0rFIT
Well now, considering that that's why I'm here in the first place, I feel like a complete moron. 600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2woXemi70N
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfxsJ3jLjkB
"When's your next showing?" he asks, assessing me with dark brown eyes.600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYK6LFx9A61
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTp62OA3L5r
" 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.600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFpwvTY7cZl
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFAqd3UnpeD
And now here I am, remembered as the girl who had her showing at Mr Assclown's house.600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbH0yQMhRln
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXAU8uh0izo
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.600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRRmflIOh3x
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpu8tiLAaKA
"Can I give you a job?"600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe9ybfTNcqR
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3GcCEcGdWT
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.600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJldDLMOibK
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYFpPAK52az
"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.600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbTTek0d0ny
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhfqybGjF9h
"I have a family reunion on Friday. I need someone to take photographs."600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOE2lLbkftO
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0Nny71ncm
Not so bad. He'll be with others, his family, and he'll have to behave. You'll survive.600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2177tKlhWn
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIFbdRuD0ud
"I'll talk to my agent, and then call you back."600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJts4rBaNYJ
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ94XMunws2s
"I need an answer now."600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHwvvvY0HF
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4busYBYcMl
Breathe.600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfP7VJwS41n
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq4FC9SdWjf
It's now almost ten p.m. I can't call him now.600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbcUHGyqif3
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC7f1lvN4NE
"Okay. I'll do it," I agree, hoping that I won't regret this. 600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvhhncp9dr6
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwpgJ3KlsWD
***600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFVLggep4Mg
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"Absolutely not." 600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡESKCERZgOg
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKV54HHlGd
"I already said I would, Marcus," I reply, rubbing my forehead. It's too early in the morning for this shit.600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOEPkDtuC5r
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSZ20DEP39
"Cancel it."600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfqD2WS8dp9
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWACeWiq0q0
"I'm not going to tarnish my reputation just because you disapprove."600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcEJxgNTUlu
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsQ7HAGn1h9
"Who's the agent?"600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWyuCgagNjB
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFahf34gQcq
"It's still my decision! I need the money."600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡViXPaEWyob
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyyAKdWvtzY
"I arranged for you to meet with one of Jamaica's best photographers on Friday. His schedule is jam packed—"600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo98Ixi8Iuk
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIARdQyXgLi
"Then I'm sure he'll appreciate the opening. Cancel it."600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfbS4MxJYJd
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4CFhGZsRTm
"Leah—"600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWfLUpzQOk9
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡympNaElQq8
"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."600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqduBYCjbXG
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1g5tBSkYzq
I hear silence. Then, "Why don't you just bring him with you?"600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFDAAHfpITJ
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I snort. "That would never work."600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoanjwTyGtM
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"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?"600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNC0vvGRu0S
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXhxe0DkQ8m
"Jesus Christ, you're a genius. And Rochester shouldn't mind because it'll probably make the photos come out better." 600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlZ32EY1Cfa
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJH488x9fma
"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."600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxBBNo6k8CI
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Zjp1SjuZg
I chuckle. "Thanks, Marcus. You're always there to ever so subtly remind me that I'm teetering on the line of poverty."600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUsJcJuJvsP
600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ27mQVCtIrP
"Anytime, babygirl," he says with a grin that I hear through the phone. "Anytime."
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