Remember what I said about being able to survive anyone after Montgomery? 572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1t12RSBO4
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That was utter rubbish.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmkEtqLqVX8
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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.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkn9O2yTjB
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"Bloodclaat," I muttered under my breath, hauling them over threshold, since I was too lazy to make a second trip.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡenG8ZtXdIe
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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.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKP6B5Jd5BK
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Finally, I got through the door, and rested them flat on the floor against the wall perpendicular the couch, beside the television.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2HzPMjBJP3
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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.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzjgYm2B7SE
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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.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡru1ZvNOgov
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"This was my first photography show, and I must admit, your work is closer to what can be considered as art than I expected."572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLWmHtRmKM6
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Closer?572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZlNJsC8mX
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Closer?572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0E5H6l0stb
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This is art. This is what I've dedicated my life to.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBEco2He5d3
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"Closer?"572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCOLOPD5tjL
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He gives me a condescending smile, and then clears his throat.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCH2rWYFH28
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"You see, photography will never be art. You are simply looking through a lense—"572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMwjBPuJYJA
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"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.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbfxcEYtZN
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But he just laughs. Hard.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQSAyeF5ep4
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"Relax. It was a joke. Why else would I buy your art?"572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡORAyNgvTCn
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Well now, considering that that's why I'm here in the first place, I feel like a complete moron. 572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwmWe1i1FVt
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"When's your next showing?" he asks, assessing me with dark brown eyes.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhyTEHcaFpS
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" 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.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcQRSy79JFg
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And now here I am, remembered as the girl who had her showing at Mr Assclown's house.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBXatO8nSv2
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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.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYAK7hkpz9t
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"Can I give you a job?"572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf87Lei4T5G
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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.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlwGmgggwcg
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"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.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWxd6acpyrZ
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"I have a family reunion on Friday. I need someone to take photographs."572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGlx7Nh2BoS
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Not so bad. He'll be with others, his family, and he'll have to behave. You'll survive.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZadJbyJiTS
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"I'll talk to my agent, and then call you back."572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYxWEFTZbpp
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"I need an answer now."572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmMYYCBFpIf
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Breathe.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkBx13L8N9y
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It's now almost ten p.m. I can't call him now.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ147E5cPWr1
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"Okay. I'll do it," I agree, hoping that I won't regret this. 572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡikiTg4terS
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***572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz4lOWcC288
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"Absolutely not." 572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCEjlmpiSpf
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"I already said I would, Marcus," I reply, rubbing my forehead. It's too early in the morning for this shit.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4VKLFtyKCZ
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"Cancel it."572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwkqEbALdEx
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"I'm not going to tarnish my reputation just because you disapprove."572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbh2IkpnVa8
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"Who's the agent?"572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpENbNpm6cz
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"It's still my decision! I need the money."572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ8miJsPuU2
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"I arranged for you to meet with one of Jamaica's best photographers on Friday. His schedule is jam packed—"572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqXhU0TuVq6
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"Then I'm sure he'll appreciate the opening. Cancel it."572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaufZgJGvWt
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"Leah—"572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ7Ymjjl0ew
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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."572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiz7lMdYiLl
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I hear silence. Then, "Why don't you just bring him with you?"572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5YzVmAjliW
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I snort. "That would never work."572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWl9AZD1UZg
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"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?"572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmEVfncdRqm
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"Jesus Christ, you're a genius. And Rochester shouldn't mind because it'll probably make the photos come out better." 572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZYg73zdOT
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"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."572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7WDmXjy3VQ
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I chuckle. "Thanks, Marcus. You're always there to ever so subtly remind me that I'm teetering on the line of poverty."572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mPCxHmJes
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"Anytime, babygirl," he says with a grin that I hear through the phone. "Anytime."
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