Remember what I said about being able to survive anyone after Montgomery? 635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6CUfbkSb4d
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj075HMJVwC
That was utter rubbish.635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnvtRBvpfBO
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwNm1FQfal9
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.635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqbToV8dYYz
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBuKbhkF0iz
"Bloodclaat," I muttered under my breath, hauling them over threshold, since I was too lazy to make a second trip.635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqzHvZXPCEj
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYx4fSSEkF7
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.635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgGzYf9zWvK
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvd3pgbO2yN
Finally, I got through the door, and rested them flat on the floor against the wall perpendicular the couch, beside the television.635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPrYcH0wu3M
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwlK0qxOrAu
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.635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3SchwUfvMY
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNcy2EjHunI
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.635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfjgoe96wsx
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQO3kcXo6bo
"This was my first photography show, and I must admit, your work is closer to what can be considered as art than I expected."635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqZ4WeS6Zl
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡADnvspPoFa
Closer?635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgUI7P6NSzZ
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBeFbDYHvFB
Closer?635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIMpcW9upEC
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMPcwXGhCv
This is art. This is what I've dedicated my life to.635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqtM6EORsRr
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmeeBgOhOST
"Closer?"635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡti1FgI8nvP
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9bvt8XZQFP
He gives me a condescending smile, and then clears his throat.635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW0Dhyb2Ixr
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHCFe3D6Jp
"You see, photography will never be art. You are simply looking through a lense—"635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtSNyATwwwd
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDP4aE7rBYq
"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.635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYbfWVoZP6g
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCKDlm8BFun
But he just laughs. Hard.635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbiKxnUTLFu
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1PLXMXBvvp
"Relax. It was a joke. Why else would I buy your art?"635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSnE0WqU15j
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4YYQRQnIJ0
Well now, considering that that's why I'm here in the first place, I feel like a complete moron. 635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbTh2FS6Gur
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIbLSdQr2wO
"When's your next showing?" he asks, assessing me with dark brown eyes.635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQVABjIBevc
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrL0cE07SA8
" 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.635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19C9rEZkWQ
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And now here I am, remembered as the girl who had her showing at Mr Assclown's house.635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm7a4kEH3eV
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfMJg8FLpl
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.635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIVjIvbBn30
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrphMnBQlu4
"Can I give you a job?"635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0hOam2M1FB
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFfPB1VZNqq
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.635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpAAfes98Ny
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNcomuHkJq2
"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.635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLnrPcIhajz
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"I have a family reunion on Friday. I need someone to take photographs."635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqWcRdVenrI
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1DKUR7wIoU
Not so bad. He'll be with others, his family, and he'll have to behave. You'll survive.635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc4re4c5WMn
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9OJN6xBJiI
"I'll talk to my agent, and then call you back."635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF2iQ11DjI3
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6mLPj8TE2Y
"I need an answer now."635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxGaZEsY6s
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhttLPmHCVg
Breathe.635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1yYBizbuBF
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyFmoQb51Ad
It's now almost ten p.m. I can't call him now.635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQrVbXpyoL2
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh7hMFVlCbG
"Okay. I'll do it," I agree, hoping that I won't regret this. 635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzva2RAgyAX
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp0Th3uy3nN
***635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzh2MaUWgDE
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWJp1MKY5x5
"Absolutely not." 635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡftb0BSsWCc
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6SFG6sfMA1
"I already said I would, Marcus," I reply, rubbing my forehead. It's too early in the morning for this shit.635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEYG5qAwzk5
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVAspaUW4gX
"Cancel it."635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzd8JfaNQ7x
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXabY9kjzEi
"I'm not going to tarnish my reputation just because you disapprove."635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpWTkgd3WL8
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfeO0lPFbZp
"Who's the agent?"635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj3p9AAqu2r
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUOTn9i06yl
"It's still my decision! I need the money."635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6wGF24DDA
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOwTCxzahtX
"I arranged for you to meet with one of Jamaica's best photographers on Friday. His schedule is jam packed—"635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxxWofVGerS
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzdcxUMAC7N
"Then I'm sure he'll appreciate the opening. Cancel it."635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ33t2tGsfzP
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR8tqxY4ggY
"Leah—"635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ2Hsvzl9ka
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"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."635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2PypoHyJl
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24Dd3gatA4
I hear silence. Then, "Why don't you just bring him with you?"635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQqQGWFWjIM
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24mEN8hGP8
I snort. "That would never work."635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYq1vPMz8b
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUavglWvIHM
"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?"635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOS1NtB5JJN
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw9ZfpbYVEC
"Jesus Christ, you're a genius. And Rochester shouldn't mind because it'll probably make the photos come out better." 635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoNROFJLGcQ
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMDIerHsxbF
"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."635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHKkLyjveZf
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtfnfpONy2B
I chuckle. "Thanks, Marcus. You're always there to ever so subtly remind me that I'm teetering on the line of poverty."635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡreYAe6m01v
635Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0KUrzklBaK
"Anytime, babygirl," he says with a grin that I hear through the phone. "Anytime."
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