Remember what I said about being able to survive anyone after Montgomery? 628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Sfq7D0s4t
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ZM6CQQ4F8
That was utter rubbish.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW07Jw2GVDI
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLNuWZGpq7N
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.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7O7UcI1mof
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfMzS5QuR2
"Bloodclaat," I muttered under my breath, hauling them over threshold, since I was too lazy to make a second trip.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ7QWL4xUk7
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL62huV6Z3F
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.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA41FuoeJM2
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYQCOFkqKxd
Finally, I got through the door, and rested them flat on the floor against the wall perpendicular the couch, beside the television.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNfAmY2hEH
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDlcuJRz8w
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.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGOeQ71UcBA
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqC39Z9XTOx
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.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuOsuIZ6n3O
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbz7OMge5sX
"This was my first photography show, and I must admit, your work is closer to what can be considered as art than I expected."628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu1UtKZn77D
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfOLllrIxuY
Closer?628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5EVHHPNLKU
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXH2Opye5sx
Closer?628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX4P0YXf7XB
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2CVmVCCbLD
This is art. This is what I've dedicated my life to.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeHIhuSUzYe
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3RToRS5OsY
"Closer?"628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf7ajwhruxQ
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZuzj7N9BZv
He gives me a condescending smile, and then clears his throat.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXVHcE79Ir7
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqWz6WqxMcG
"You see, photography will never be art. You are simply looking through a lense—"628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTPFy0E7WJy
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZaeEMx8Z2
"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.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpe13RJALRP
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMCPxBOZJgL
But he just laughs. Hard.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmOKWyGqh6n
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUy2ZaCaOS1
"Relax. It was a joke. Why else would I buy your art?"628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtfK8HulCIt
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWUAyd1sUlE
Well now, considering that that's why I'm here in the first place, I feel like a complete moron. 628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyNMjcYGrKm
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoHtglSMSpI
"When's your next showing?" he asks, assessing me with dark brown eyes.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡogdBtcLoIb
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGe5JguQEUp
" 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.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnoISvQohWE
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjwS5y7lxxV
And now here I am, remembered as the girl who had her showing at Mr Assclown's house.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYcD0JhBchc
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5tcnqkqKW5
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.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBjoI6fMqG8
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIKxptotgi
"Can I give you a job?"628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0AczK0VZXM
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡabHm6f7dyg
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.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3CuygyMrAf
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRUQ38uqDhB
"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.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfUINF8SpyF
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQA0K8V5bea
"I have a family reunion on Friday. I need someone to take photographs."628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuHon7UrCif
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡymXw4DuKEd
Not so bad. He'll be with others, his family, and he'll have to behave. You'll survive.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiycAuNa5Rz
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxd1uEg7BQS
"I'll talk to my agent, and then call you back."628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk6Ogr0XNNA
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGVQ0R7cEki
"I need an answer now."628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19hum0EzI5
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAenf4LmffQ
Breathe.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9TeOCnCnLv
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBCWuFE3G9u
It's now almost ten p.m. I can't call him now.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwXIjMDYIp2
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsvTlbPqfZo
"Okay. I'll do it," I agree, hoping that I won't regret this. 628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGqog6wjfLO
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKXDyQH3fr5
***628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5E2Zc93Dbq
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA7UZmlBwfP
"Absolutely not." 628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡopFHIhbEfg
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2zaRkKihi
"I already said I would, Marcus," I reply, rubbing my forehead. It's too early in the morning for this shit.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaWaAdm5Xtq
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIJzkjzTQdO
"Cancel it."628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRWnZA5TQYP
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfUDoN9iq7B
"I'm not going to tarnish my reputation just because you disapprove."628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnfRHPUz2zY
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXK2AImlRMP
"Who's the agent?"628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHjxeT4R8n
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIab5jYzuY0
"It's still my decision! I need the money."628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfyUL5SVCwv
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVIdi2pVn1K
"I arranged for you to meet with one of Jamaica's best photographers on Friday. His schedule is jam packed—"628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡldKIzRFVy0
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkFpUXQsnKX
"Then I'm sure he'll appreciate the opening. Cancel it."628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXSZ53bdLRD
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTwIYW7wTy4
"Leah—"628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUr3av4laKu
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrLvHpTLhhO
"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."628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBeJ0byisv8
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYx0NCpivhY
I hear silence. Then, "Why don't you just bring him with you?"628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHXGzcxVAi
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiKyjjHYu6r
I snort. "That would never work."628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfDy9IIW8z
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvmLLKRpfxB
"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?"628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt8EDF004tM
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOhM1IasE8
"Jesus Christ, you're a genius. And Rochester shouldn't mind because it'll probably make the photos come out better." 628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡghO0FxgJDi
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcI8FFvm7bA
"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."628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDMWhEJ2Es
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRLEV04I63r
I chuckle. "Thanks, Marcus. You're always there to ever so subtly remind me that I'm teetering on the line of poverty."628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQSj6vgPlN1
628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVSGVazxAym
"Anytime, babygirl," he says with a grin that I hear through the phone. "Anytime."
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