Remember what I said about being able to survive anyone after Montgomery? 524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbIugp1aqrd
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6MdfJssaD5
That was utter rubbish.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3m9kYdlTFq
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7HxJmehoPh
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.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqwKRF0zN7X
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRMj5o5Mtld
"Bloodclaat," I muttered under my breath, hauling them over threshold, since I was too lazy to make a second trip.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUSqhoweQRq
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGlXEuJDmIx
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.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8IL4eSCjej
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFTmeAWeb16
Finally, I got through the door, and rested them flat on the floor against the wall perpendicular the couch, beside the television.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPeKgTJ92Gh
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVCiuQRpE0q
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.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3kpnzYDtAy
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKVUn8aZLEc
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.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxEgIlllccS
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcbAxmo95NL
"This was my first photography show, and I must admit, your work is closer to what can be considered as art than I expected."524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FnQBfREBF
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIL9fHd2jIp
Closer?524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡunYKTYs1Z1
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY290b5Uwwj
Closer?524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP2ZBFiYkYC
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm6KZj1iRwH
This is art. This is what I've dedicated my life to.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09nfpWKffT
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt7ru7MdcGl
"Closer?"524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfxe6qn2Ytg
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPR1XaWC2IH
He gives me a condescending smile, and then clears his throat.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtLzYMt9frF
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDaztntge8y
"You see, photography will never be art. You are simply looking through a lense—"524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy0xXTr2r9f
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhljBHvKQXj
"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.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡECJMxDb5qW
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8qQQhGeNpJ
But he just laughs. Hard.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtPB0JHVyfN
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ738mh2r7AO
"Relax. It was a joke. Why else would I buy your art?"524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfh4aHX59zF
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQQFj1LU6q
Well now, considering that that's why I'm here in the first place, I feel like a complete moron. 524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPE8poBnStN
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKzNZadnYyB
"When's your next showing?" he asks, assessing me with dark brown eyes.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0LU3QwTcVV
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKfN8fw75YZ
" 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.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxqyigJDI0O
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxGKbE5eXGZ
And now here I am, remembered as the girl who had her showing at Mr Assclown's house.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAOLHisbHMi
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnC3dJYPvCM
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.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAZ2OF3Luea
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKnDq2XrKRD
"Can I give you a job?"524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKmeDGIAxb
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHhowvaTzym
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.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPzoJi8Wu33
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgXYLH6Stho
"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.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVs7VX26rPC
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxOHrcqLu1i
"I have a family reunion on Friday. I need someone to take photographs."524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN6CnWyKAez
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3z9dj0GtcD
Not so bad. He'll be with others, his family, and he'll have to behave. You'll survive.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwox0UvQVU
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ca9xn4dDo
"I'll talk to my agent, and then call you back."524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5nKcRt4iix
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU4uGsOiT70
"I need an answer now."524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡylVDuCy6qw
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBMvCLwmbYZ
Breathe.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpJhhX4I5Hl
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYNZYxdoOCp
It's now almost ten p.m. I can't call him now.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuBjbtaV6ww
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfmzwgumkZA
"Okay. I'll do it," I agree, hoping that I won't regret this. 524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1WDWYrW7UP
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBOCwr9Ab72
***524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3DQGBobBTD
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmxwuB8Vd6o
"Absolutely not." 524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Ylah5wJOE
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5noBJwUq1D
"I already said I would, Marcus," I reply, rubbing my forehead. It's too early in the morning for this shit.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSvuDg3RuJq
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY0mgYMHgB2
"Cancel it."524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ZgePbcU2m
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSRf63r4BuX
"I'm not going to tarnish my reputation just because you disapprove."524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwvatlVulXN
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIOryZqDKG8
"Who's the agent?"524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXTQh8EHjEO
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZ9W7yUlXB
"It's still my decision! I need the money."524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb6kNlcoJAg
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2bmq8v2qpe
"I arranged for you to meet with one of Jamaica's best photographers on Friday. His schedule is jam packed—"524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡveAbZLdAhs
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDW3FT0atN7
"Then I'm sure he'll appreciate the opening. Cancel it."524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOJdrU5O5jO
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxOLlAJgLee
"Leah—"524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWqDKqWjDHX
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjyQ8dHwYFK
"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."524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhnXZkhiQb5
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrERHs0LdH2
I hear silence. Then, "Why don't you just bring him with you?"524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMzZZQwyEmP
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Ywvmu3fR5
I snort. "That would never work."524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7e7gdZj49Y
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjhnblnUGGZ
"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?"524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmEh4eY7698
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdsAAEL8P3A
"Jesus Christ, you're a genius. And Rochester shouldn't mind because it'll probably make the photos come out better." 524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHT13gs01t3
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxSC92N6aDG
"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."524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfzWpBNcSmS
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmT5Mer1GfV
I chuckle. "Thanks, Marcus. You're always there to ever so subtly remind me that I'm teetering on the line of poverty."524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlgYAuzquE2
524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK7J796sWhs
"Anytime, babygirl," he says with a grin that I hear through the phone. "Anytime."
ns 15.158.61.51da2
