Remember what I said about being able to survive anyone after Montgomery? 579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMd3jGzDaxu
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4lCtU2vDFJ
That was utter rubbish.579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVAwmMcE6xK
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNx9oou3tmp
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.579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw4jhnHltnu
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwauBAaZIcf
"Bloodclaat," I muttered under my breath, hauling them over threshold, since I was too lazy to make a second trip.579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuHSNuriLg0
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuKgXd4e4sO
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.579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbUaaDVPEJm
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7tWO7NX8KH
Finally, I got through the door, and rested them flat on the floor against the wall perpendicular the couch, beside the television.579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXhDe4MuL8h
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIP0RrpYDk3
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.579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpcOirUu6wm
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ9uofbeWyx
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.579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzzv5ErO8TP
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVt3m4AVkJw
"This was my first photography show, and I must admit, your work is closer to what can be considered as art than I expected."579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaIzc3Ypk32
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAARqLPO4h5
Closer?579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI4ezEVfdsu
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ13nHa2V9Q7
Closer?579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK1GqgAEWdD
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRzJQ3StZ4r
This is art. This is what I've dedicated my life to.579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOKsBrLnLE5
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNX2qEfBB1K
"Closer?"579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFl9Fi4lpEE
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJEyF4BPzxg
He gives me a condescending smile, and then clears his throat.579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxMJBB2S0FB
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrI1pApboEN
"You see, photography will never be art. You are simply looking through a lense—"579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6oSFKjJgv4
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQG2iIEwy9t
"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.579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡniRCeZ3W60
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDNWm2xVrb9
But he just laughs. Hard.579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoBtV0VcjiS
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjh99HsNnC0
"Relax. It was a joke. Why else would I buy your art?"579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBwWdpoS53p
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡemFPFy0FpY
Well now, considering that that's why I'm here in the first place, I feel like a complete moron. 579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKsy8kXTDUR
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNMz3nYHO9s
"When's your next showing?" he asks, assessing me with dark brown eyes.579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrR4mpadl8f
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXp3Q7S7cpZ
" 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.579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC1X4Nt39Yt
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB1jwVwhbnq
And now here I am, remembered as the girl who had her showing at Mr Assclown's house.579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgX2n84uCRE
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhw0Z1yCKeK
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.579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Jadq654Sd
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnALmkeFRMX
"Can I give you a job?"579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2bA9JdVPwB
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFUQGtTHJ7
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.579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ91WWWDsCBB
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxrAAnmfDZn
"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.579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYdh9z3Si4P
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRO9p7ttLtS
"I have a family reunion on Friday. I need someone to take photographs."579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn4saC1hb0W
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzoERG1UIj9
Not so bad. He'll be with others, his family, and he'll have to behave. You'll survive.579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxdygVVSKHr
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFsv098b5k5
"I'll talk to my agent, and then call you back."579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrIyQv94XDu
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFWOyZnqJOQ
"I need an answer now."579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyiV0VcezuJ
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGRtRZwjevk
Breathe.579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq8LNoaDOi0
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDX4PUO6TgM
It's now almost ten p.m. I can't call him now.579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9TloXbe8Lu
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZJnkuEY6tR
"Okay. I'll do it," I agree, hoping that I won't regret this. 579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0BdhBoPzq7
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Wt2EdtFnW
***579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1WA0XTFA2B
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAABYTZj4zx
"Absolutely not." 579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJvH57nzJJk
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxC7mEEXP6F
"I already said I would, Marcus," I reply, rubbing my forehead. It's too early in the morning for this shit.579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHVlxwEoPXI
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1STYPAEIEe
"Cancel it."579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJluhvm5GMX
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJg0piOB7Fd
"I'm not going to tarnish my reputation just because you disapprove."579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzqVJHAjv5E
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoj3D4wB1c9
"Who's the agent?"579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp703l0aCZs
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡasEjYILMuf
"It's still my decision! I need the money."579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT5gDtXVJFj
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1BB3Mr1unw
"I arranged for you to meet with one of Jamaica's best photographers on Friday. His schedule is jam packed—"579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXWvf4pVgie
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZZCyBPB7V
"Then I'm sure he'll appreciate the opening. Cancel it."579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡED5bS97QXf
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZcEkhnPqYy
"Leah—"579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZy417JAOi
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhPyxSpJaeh
"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."579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnoOMcRy0be
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiRsA0qbpHm
I hear silence. Then, "Why don't you just bring him with you?"579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyczGopq3H8
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDB7XVmzXDp
I snort. "That would never work."579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxi9j3WJBm
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR9Duaabnp0
"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?"579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEIBwcpkPcc
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNJppWKnjNF
"Jesus Christ, you're a genius. And Rochester shouldn't mind because it'll probably make the photos come out better." 579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlVHmy4xWGB
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡym0WkGV1tr
"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."579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5aorjiOZCA
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3MiKXOvFPN
I chuckle. "Thanks, Marcus. You're always there to ever so subtly remind me that I'm teetering on the line of poverty."579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg7oOHXQnOS
579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv7cGHy1j99
"Anytime, babygirl," he says with a grin that I hear through the phone. "Anytime."
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