Remember what I said about being able to survive anyone after Montgomery? 534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3mNdEbAqI8
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOBvg2R8sk
That was utter rubbish.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAic8XcHBRM
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG9YkJhYW95
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.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVtLG5tX14F
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3FFHHz40bV
"Bloodclaat," I muttered under my breath, hauling them over threshold, since I was too lazy to make a second trip.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ26n5sKpQr5
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnBiML7LKaQ
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.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ79JN5gELuz
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3XRTxxwSSp
Finally, I got through the door, and rested them flat on the floor against the wall perpendicular the couch, beside the television.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3vbLeZQC4N
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPBB6v5H0m5
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.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Yhgic6O4A
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBLISApocsF
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.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8A3nzxmM6E
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQjlsKRc2hW
"This was my first photography show, and I must admit, your work is closer to what can be considered as art than I expected."534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV7QnWV3p3l
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2r2KJSc5tP
Closer?534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoVbRgTUGbU
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyphAqjLy0E
Closer?534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXjTLDZSLdz
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiuR2mds02W
This is art. This is what I've dedicated my life to.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRhNyFODQz6
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWEIMNvuqAz
"Closer?"534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjsuUlmYHpj
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHkK4E2Ttz
He gives me a condescending smile, and then clears his throat.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCouMGuCQ74
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlPuNvU84Vz
"You see, photography will never be art. You are simply looking through a lense—"534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHpZoXHPCZy
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHyXXQ01KQj
"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.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjmBtxHQcFJ
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo1XcmcBFF5
But he just laughs. Hard.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKGupjeBRYz
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXT5NTOROlM
"Relax. It was a joke. Why else would I buy your art?"534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqdFwTqVb01
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNRF2gDCJoS
Well now, considering that that's why I'm here in the first place, I feel like a complete moron. 534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmC6QuYWWZF
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5p3AoP1ORM
"When's your next showing?" he asks, assessing me with dark brown eyes.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡenUqdwqC6P
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGv0qTCNOZM
" 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.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg8lGXAH9Um
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9RcR2yk6wZ
And now here I am, remembered as the girl who had her showing at Mr Assclown's house.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXsk3VdVRbj
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb5ZuKYOa6D
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.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR1EQ9rxTjV
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkInSpWObN
"Can I give you a job?"534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFLezGAwK8j
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJsIpEGRCff
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.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoO8fDe6993
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWZsjSGuVan
"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.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmv32whqBM
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL4emMdN2jh
"I have a family reunion on Friday. I need someone to take photographs."534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ8ckWxj8Rj
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfsS11GPjwn
Not so bad. He'll be with others, his family, and he'll have to behave. You'll survive.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPLEB0Y4AfP
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ofXc7MzHQ
"I'll talk to my agent, and then call you back."534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNIp0OQfbZh
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc1HzmKZyjv
"I need an answer now."534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2MAIkXLWgy
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZqJUjsIae
Breathe.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAdvIx0CnZw
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1K5PkWWluD
It's now almost ten p.m. I can't call him now.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu3H6tTqv34
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVUUZxf83vI
"Okay. I'll do it," I agree, hoping that I won't regret this. 534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLL6afW7Bwk
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxcQLzkrLvD
***534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd92Ess875o
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4XqyluIuX5
"Absolutely not." 534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0mP8YEMs5
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSd7uZgjFUN
"I already said I would, Marcus," I reply, rubbing my forehead. It's too early in the morning for this shit.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXW2tCDdiXS
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHUJn0OlMHy
"Cancel it."534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhkMYsE0QIF
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2g4gxjFJt
"I'm not going to tarnish my reputation just because you disapprove."534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxycxfRCuzW
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡss8humOGpm
"Who's the agent?"534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfTC1i92rZd
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfm1ofrl3nQ
"It's still my decision! I need the money."534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc8GJv1MS6l
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx8RFwnQJB4
"I arranged for you to meet with one of Jamaica's best photographers on Friday. His schedule is jam packed—"534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5V1mf3E8OY
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWeu5p9vSWG
"Then I'm sure he'll appreciate the opening. Cancel it."534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXyQ6VOYLNA
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKJY0KbexL
"Leah—"534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6v7zD1RXZC
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBFsx80tf9C
"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."534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkSP91JVay
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3c4msZqANa
I hear silence. Then, "Why don't you just bring him with you?"534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeh9Dwn7qcW
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeXnguXXi8D
I snort. "That would never work."534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtYlARs2gyP
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgvxlM5jKUp
"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?"534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLkdcP0CLjj
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYfV7fkAYfx
"Jesus Christ, you're a genius. And Rochester shouldn't mind because it'll probably make the photos come out better." 534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWfGGAv5UNu
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeKO20NenKj
"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."534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVm52zLNLE
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡplMsIt4DbQ
I chuckle. "Thanks, Marcus. You're always there to ever so subtly remind me that I'm teetering on the line of poverty."534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJX994VeP9a
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRdqp8XekiR
"Anytime, babygirl," he says with a grin that I hear through the phone. "Anytime."
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