Remember what I said about being able to survive anyone after Montgomery? 601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfpEyVFTuNh
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRfvhDCXfTK
That was utter rubbish.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCfD9gxjjhN
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4GmZJMJLQ
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.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡroVroYhaX5
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsHTgQ6HX4h
"Bloodclaat," I muttered under my breath, hauling them over threshold, since I was too lazy to make a second trip.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ73gZz1XHzX
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrZr4ROU45j
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.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvzI50zTJKX
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQzi2LmkwZd
Finally, I got through the door, and rested them flat on the floor against the wall perpendicular the couch, beside the television.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWvjNupEVxn
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEERPq35oiD
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.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZBRQkLmnBI
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ZtZQftO0y
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.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPbWfltJx8
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnpkmW3tYd
"This was my first photography show, and I must admit, your work is closer to what can be considered as art than I expected."601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVp1ghc1RUD
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA91qLFmfHB
Closer?601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXf67cMfNiE
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwrt0gpvCwr
Closer?601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2sPOCVr43o
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5KRtzLX8ud
This is art. This is what I've dedicated my life to.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYF0SWlrTf1
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqtSgkO2CBt
"Closer?"601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7pNRWjfuw
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcWBzJLuBaU
He gives me a condescending smile, and then clears his throat.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiF1GbpoCbt
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjUTO7vghfn
"You see, photography will never be art. You are simply looking through a lense—"601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQ65XOK4tr
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaUPgoy234V
"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.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDKj4HykUYO
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBnHIqlveA
But he just laughs. Hard.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0MUvgZjCIX
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSgkDvrZTMQ
"Relax. It was a joke. Why else would I buy your art?"601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKWICZbgZcW
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkkwoPhb1dQ
Well now, considering that that's why I'm here in the first place, I feel like a complete moron. 601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡURqABUiWA8
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7wx1h0Xmam
"When's your next showing?" he asks, assessing me with dark brown eyes.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRF5zTseEXe
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyvyaEPfw78
" 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.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzXXSNISRhp
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKSjwM6TNMd
And now here I am, remembered as the girl who had her showing at Mr Assclown's house.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK3uQm0AQk9
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPykAp322ag
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.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUHq7ZCg8SC
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRECrOxHEfK
"Can I give you a job?"601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡppIoGLGj0z
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9Vp2UMX9z
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.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlbSFAxZvyy
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ67u5VYgqec
"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.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHwHYkrutvp
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR8oisT9TuQ
"I have a family reunion on Friday. I need someone to take photographs."601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUTx47hmWRE
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHbKigw9rlQ
Not so bad. He'll be with others, his family, and he'll have to behave. You'll survive.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT0AEfD2DYV
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFZGXxIxqqH
"I'll talk to my agent, and then call you back."601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9t8AoATbmB
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi7N0gaYOKI
"I need an answer now."601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡprJMvHwoi8
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFvqFYk16mT
Breathe.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNnOORScNCn
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc8JZWzQFSb
It's now almost ten p.m. I can't call him now.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYhqSUCAF5w
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiQJfwHh1Fc
"Okay. I'll do it," I agree, hoping that I won't regret this. 601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwk3HRSSczF
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOeOxR9b2wr
***601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtHIJjLJYpN
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxsyPD1yy8v
"Absolutely not." 601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1DHHHMEu6H
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRYkej5aoDO
"I already said I would, Marcus," I reply, rubbing my forehead. It's too early in the morning for this shit.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0gbzIXlmtg
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYcjUq2WqJz
"Cancel it."601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPXeVfSBjQ5
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAU0rQN3VYs
"I'm not going to tarnish my reputation just because you disapprove."601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡamgP3V8D40
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaVMQW4Atr8
"Who's the agent?"601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkqZF5qWWoN
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ10EI3iXZy
"It's still my decision! I need the money."601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuXlmhrVC0k
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpg17WgG8Zd
"I arranged for you to meet with one of Jamaica's best photographers on Friday. His schedule is jam packed—"601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpOiVzAaKY
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgnmr3upHo1
"Then I'm sure he'll appreciate the opening. Cancel it."601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe9si3sV36L
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxNekAz3fpr
"Leah—"601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfSmx0nBHVJ
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZekbgPePh0
"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."601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfAOQPiJJeO
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ31dZZdZKkT
I hear silence. Then, "Why don't you just bring him with you?"601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwBVp1eYMX
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUwmddBYoET
I snort. "That would never work."601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvueSVWsL5y
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIO2xuXm9kD
"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?"601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuGeb0Th3hB
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxscp4jye6H
"Jesus Christ, you're a genius. And Rochester shouldn't mind because it'll probably make the photos come out better." 601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ZyTy64ElJ
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrXt5UnsB27
"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."601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn9jWOaX5ls
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5HOVRLZslV
I chuckle. "Thanks, Marcus. You're always there to ever so subtly remind me that I'm teetering on the line of poverty."601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBajDQqa3QT
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qFIOR1knF
"Anytime, babygirl," he says with a grin that I hear through the phone. "Anytime."
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