Authors Note: Alright so I have to say, that as far as chapters go, this was one of the best to write. I was fully inspired by listening to many sweet songs. & just asking people in the Home Center I work in how they met theyre spouse. So you can say this is a miz of many love stories. I am actually at the airport (yes they have wi-fi who knew?) But anyways enjoy and see you next time. Thanks again to my awesome new beta! Ms. Random (Lol see the similarity). & last but not least Thank you soo much xZANESSA4LIFEx for being the first to review on both chapters!

Song to listen to while reading: (Youtube)Belief by Gavin Degraw, Cover by Kevin Bazinet.

Xxx

Lee

Serenity Chapter 2

Belief makes things feel real

Makes things feel, feel alright

Belief makes things sure

Things like you, you and I

I had to prepare myself; I had to think about every possible image that I might see when I'm out exploring the world. I was a free bird when I set myself to this idea. I was a song waiting to be sang, water waiting to be disturbed, a star waiting to be found, a reason waiting to be discovered.

Minus 23 hours 'til I'd have to get on a plane, on a plane that will take me somewhere and help me initiate my plan. Well truthfully the plan was to get on a plane and see where it landed and then go from there. That among other things, such as paying close attention to different people, they're problems and they're success. Pay attention as to how they choose to write their own life story.

My parents thought that I already had a destination, heck even I thought I would have one by now, but part of being the 'New Man' is to go with what life brings me, and if life decided to take me to say Korea then so be it. I just knew that where ever I'd go, I'd surely learn something. But in the meantime I had to get some things in my head clear.

And here I was, the only place where I was able to relax and not have to worry about anything. I had discovered this lake a while ago back in my days, and when I said "back in my days" I meant my "rebel phase". It was this place that helped me come out of that phase, it was this same lake that I self taught myself how to swim. The same lake at which I'd cry when life happened to bring me down. The same lake that I came to when no one else could be there for me but me. It never let me down when I needed an answer, and it never let me down when I didn't need one but just silence.

"Where should I go, how am I to find out where I'm suppose to be" I asked to no one in particular. The wind cooling my face from the rays of the sun. "How am I supposed to find myself?"

"You could start by not talking to yourself; they do say talking to one's self is a start to insanity. I hope you know that?" A soft voice answered back. I tried to find the owner of the voice but luck was certainly not on my side.

"Well maybe if you showed your face, I could talk to you and not the wind. I think that would help not become insane" I replayed, kind of loudly as I was not sure if the owner of the voice heard me.

"See if I do that, then I'll loose the chance to take some inspiring shots" The mysterious voice said in a mocking deep tone.

"S-shots? What do you mean shots; I can assure you that I am no harm to you. But if you try something I have a black belt in Tai-Kwon-Do" I hesitantly said as I slowly got up from the log I was sitting on and slowly backed away from the lake. And then I heard a thud, a sign that a good amount of weight had just touched the ground.

"Relax Mr. Black Belt, I meant Photography Shots, you know pictures, like the ones you hang up on your wall or place on your desk. I assume that even insane people have heard of them. But I am willing to take you up on a fight though" The voice said in a mocking tone from behind me as the owner laid a hand on my arm as if assuring some type of safety.

I slowly turned around; still not sure of what I might see once I completely faced the stranger. That was until I noticed that I was now standing a few feet taller than a short, dark hair female. I was a little stunned to be honest. The woman was dressed in some camouflage shorts, and a green button down shirt, as if on a mission.

"Eh- as much as I love a challenge, I think my mother would severally injure me if I ever laid hands on a woman in a violent way." I said after a few silent seconds passed.

"Ah darn, I guess fighting with an average insane person won't ever happen. I guess I should cross that off my list then huh?" The female said with a big grin splattered upon her face.

I didn't know if I should have laughed at her joke, or been slightly scared. It was no lie that this girl, eh woman was different from any ordinary girl. I knew she had spent more than a couple of hours on the park for her sneakers where covered in mud. Her hair was in a messy bun probably trying to give her neck the feel of the breeze. Just as I also knew that she wasn't lying about her "shots" as she had a camera securely strapped around her neck.

"I – uhh...umm you take pictures" I asked pointing at her camera, not sure of what to response to her pervious comment. She smiled at me, and took the camera from around her neck raising it up to her eye, snapping a picture of me, which I was sure the results would be an amusing picture of a startled Troy.

"Yep, is called being a photographer, I was just around taking some landscape shots, when I discovered this place, and saw you. Truthfully you must have been deep in thoughts; because I'm sure I made some noise while climbing that tree." She answered my question.

"Well aren't you a witty person" I said, while she checked the photo she had just took. She raised her head and nodded in response not denying my assumption. "Yeah well what's life without a little bit of spice, my ingredient is witty, I'm assuming yours is physical" She noted as she looked up at me and then took a double take, taking notice of my entire body.

"Nah, believe it or not words are actually my ingredient" I grinned at her; anytime I got to talk about my passion I was always happy.

"Ah…so you're a writer, I'm assuming your 'Black belt' in tai-kwon-do was just a dramatic effect meant to scare me off, just as I'm assuming that you have no idea of the basics in the sport."

I didn't know what it was about the stranger, but she made me feel at peace. In the short 10 minutes that we had been talking I didn't feel the nerve to make a sarcastic remark, or get anxious as I usually did with strangers. It was a nice feeling; maybe Albuquerque was the start to my change.

I scratched the back of my head, in embarrassment remembering my horrible attempt to make myself tough. Don't get me wrong, in my teenage years I did take part in my schools lacrosse team, and I still go to the gym four times a week. But it was just for good measures "Well yeah, but in my defence is not every day that I get scared by a female demanding that she wanted to take some shots at me" I explained in an embarrassed state.

"First Mr. Black Belt it was not a demand, it was more of a comment. And second I wasn'y taking shots at you, but shots OF you" The woman clarified while poking my chest. "Plus, is not my fault your stage of thought, and your posture was the perfect setup for a picture." She continued while trying to fight off the small strand of hair that was constantly falling on her face.

"Troy" I said, reaching my hand forward. "Troy Bolton" I completed my name after I saw the confused look adorned her face. She took my hand into hers and squeezed it.

"I'm Montez, Gabriella Montez" She said in a fit of giggles, trying to make an impersonation of James Bond.

"Why Miss. Montez, I'm taking your not from Albuquerque judging that I've never seen you before?" I asked trying to figure out any information I could get from the cute, little female who was now taking a seat on the log, I had previously been sitting on.

" Your assumptions are right Mr. Bolton. I guess you can say I am a bird with no specific past, and you can also say I am the answers to your question" She said in a mysterious voice, followed by another fit of giggles. This was actually making me smile every time I heard.

"Ah, so you're a traveler, and is that so?" I question as I to sat on the log with feet on each side, facing her.

"Yep, I hold the keys to many questions that wonder your mind. Think of me as your Spirit Guide, except I'm certainly not that good but I promise to try my best" She said, making fun of herself and shot me a bright smile. "So what is it that bothers your mind if you don't mind me asking?" she asked as she picked up her camera and took various photos.

"Well for starters, It bothers me that you are constantly taking pictures of me, I don't think is safe to take pictures of strangers. And the other part is just complicated stuff" I answered back trying to cover myself from the flashes of her camera, not that I actually minded to be honest.

"Well you see, I only take pictures of beautiful things, and you are quite something Mr. Bolton, even if I come off as blunt. You are one unique creature." She said looking at me up and down, followed by a wink which just made me blush and grin at her.

"Hey, you can't call me beautiful I am a man, I don't think we qualify under the definition of that word. On the contrary, even I have to admit that us men are weak when it come so to being compared to you women." I fought back. Even though I was a writer, and description of various characters was suppose to be part of my job, I don't think I ever would qualify a man under the definition of beautiful.

See a woman is true beauty, the way they where design to hold curves from head to toe. The way that certain parts of their body grew accordingly to their own needs, making them a unique person. The way that they were design perfectly to physically and mentally embark in the ship of motherhood. Woman no matter what size, shape, ethnicity, color, or story are just beautiful.

While men on the other side, are considered to just be well 'uncharted territory' for lack of better words. We were brought up by woman, yet we choose to be sloppy, and sometimes unintelligent to be fairly honest. If anything I had never disrespected a woman, for they where the reason why we men even existed.

"I understand Mr. Bolton, but you see as a photographer nothing that I see is ugly or unappealing or any synonyms to those words. On the contrary the more exquisite the specimen or object the more intrigued I am so take a picture of it. Think of it as my way to capture the beauty and show the world what I see." She said with a huge smile on her face. It was nice for a change to talk to someone who knew their passion, who loved to talk about it and show it off to the world.

While in college it was hard to find someone with that much passion. Classes would be filled with undecided people, or kids who parents had forced them to take the course. And I must admit, in the beginning of freshman year I to was part of those groups. But at the end of the day I always had my two favorite lessons Journalism and Free Lance writing.

"You're very quiet, Mr. Bolton" she whispered as if scared of breaking the silence I had started.

"Sorry, is just you speak with such passion, is just great to have that for a change. But you do know that my dad is usually referred to as Mr. Bolton, and I do recall telling you my first name" I whispered back, I didn't know why, but I felt as if I broke the trance we were in everything would disappear.

"I know you did, but it's out of pure respect, I don't know you at all and truthfully I think you know more of me than any stranger I ever met" She repaid with the beautiful smile still adorning her face.

"Well similar to you, you can think of me as a bird. Except I know my past, but I have some struggle figuring out my future" I revealed to Gabriella.

"So that's what you were thinking about before I disturbed you."

"Yeah, this might sound kind of obscured but I guess I had a wakeup call a couple of days back. And it made me realize that there's to many things in the world that I haven't seen that might change my 'perspective in life' for lack of better words. So I decided to travel the world, but probem is I just don't know where to start"

My little confession had either scared her or intrigued her for the look on her face was unreadable. We sat there in silence for a good five minutes, when she finally looked straight in my eyes and spoke one simple word.

"London"

"What?" I asked confused.

"I leave for London tomorrow, early in the morning, you can start there. I heard is a trip back to yesterday, maybe it will be good to get a point of the past before moving on to your future, don't you think?" She said as she stood up.

" So you trust a stranger to join you on a trip across the globe" I asked really confused.

"Well Troy, you told me something about yourself something that takes a lot of courage, a quality you don't appear to lack on. Is an open invitation. I think if you paid enough attention you will know where to find me." She smiled and then walked off.

I was once again alone, just me and the lake. But like every other time I had been alone in the lake it didn't let me down. I had discovered 3 things in that one trip.

One, Gabriella Montez was the most intriguing person ever and did not think of me as a stranger.

Two, I had discovered I had courage.

And finally that I was a bird with a past, who had a certain destination to go to the next day.

Tonight you arrest in my mind, when you came to my defense

With a knife in the shape of your mouth, in the form of your body

With the wrath of a god.

Oh you stood by me, and I'll stand by my

Beliefs

Please give some feedback !

(Note: This chapter was Beta'd by Ms Random and she is open for requests)