Painting In Passion.

THE wet cloth swiped the tables as the mess and dirt mysteriously vanished. It still amazed her, even after nearly 18 years since her nother had taught her, that you could look at it once, then with the swipe of a water-filled cloth it would be gone.

Gabriella sighed. If only you could do that with your problems, life would be so much easier. God could be up there, with a massive cloth, ready and waiting for the signal to wipe away the world's dirt; war, suffering, abuse, pain. But she knew that couldn't happen, it was just another fragment of her imagination; which was always moving.

A smile flickered onto her beautiful Latino face as she sighed once more and moved onto other tables. She was currently at work, aka. something that could pay the bills. Not that she didn't love the people she worked with, and the pay was worth it too, but it didn't have that spark. The spark. The one some people felt when they awoke in the morning. The one that made you open your eyes and smile straight away, because you knew you were going on a journey to do the thing you loved. And Gabriella, she didn't love her job.

She worked at a large restaurant - slash - bar in the middle of New York. It was a busy place, always filled with laughter and chitter-chat. That's what made it feel so strange. The quietness. It was peaceful, but weird. When you work in a place for 12 hours a day, and it is always full of noise, there is something unsettling about it being silent.

Gabriella couldn't take it anymore. It needed at least some sound. Without realising, her mouth opened and her angelic voice sounded. She worked her way through the different notes, not really making words, just sounds. It seemed to make wiping the tables clean get done quicker. As she moved from one table to the next she swung her hips, almost dancing to her own made up rhythm.

She glanced at her watch, noticing it was just turning 12. Humming the tune, she swung her head around, looking at the room and wondering if everything was going to be ready for tonight.

Tonight. Needless to say, was a big night. Not only for the restaurant, but for herself also. Lime Water, (the name of the restaurant) was hosting her high school reunion. Gabriella wrinkled her brow, remembering this. Her high school was situated in Albuquerque, the other side of America. Why was the reunion taking place millions of miles away from the school, you may ask? It was because when everyone was looked up, it seemed almost everyone was living here or near The Big Apple's Centre. So, it seemed it was only reasonable to have it where most people could get to, and that meant having it in Gabriella's home city. It was pure coincidence that it turned out to be held at the place she worked.

Her head moved from side to side, her voice still continuing the rhythm. Another smile faded onto her face as the beat connected to her body and she found herself flinging her arms into the air, shaking herself senseless, pretty sure no-one was around.

But, to Gabriella's bad luck, someone was.

A loud cough was heard behind she and she quickly swerved round, connecting her eyes with the person. A blush crept onto her cheeks when she knew he had been standing there all along, and she sighed, rubbing her face in her hands and thinking of how stupid she had been to actually think she wouldn't have been heard. Plastering a fake smile onto her face, she looked back at the man.

His body was covered in a navy blue suit, which encased his body carefully. His piercing green eyes brought humour into them as a smirk rose onto his mouth. His eyes danced with the laughter he was desperately trying to keep in. But eventually, it just came out.

"I've always… told you… we should get you… in the… music… business." He said in between his laughs. Gabriella rolled her eyes as he continued, "We could become a great couple Gabriella. You, the famous singer, me, the famous chef and owner of New York's hottest restaurant."

His eyes stopped laughing and they filled up with seriousness. She had always known he had had a thing for her.

"Jay, thanks for the offer. I'm sure we would make a great partnership in business. I don't know about the singing, but we both know this place wil strive and thrive."

Jay shook his head, "You know what I really meant, Gabi."

Gabriella closed her eyes, "I know. But you already know what I was going to say to that. You know the answer already. It's no."

Jay Longden was the co-owner of Lime Water. His father had the business before him, but as he was no longer as fit was he used to be, Jay had entered into the partnership too. He looked the spitting image of his father, except younger. Jay was in his late twenties, and since he had met Gabriella, he had wanted her. And Jay Longden always got what he want. Gabriella was convinced that when she had turned him down it had been the first time it had ever happened to him. But still, he tried his hardest to persuade her.

"Looking forward to the five year reunion then Gabs?" Jay tried to lighten the mood by opening a better subject.

Gabriella smiled, "Of course. There are some people coming tonight I haven't seen since graduation. It'll be a blast from the past, if you know what I mean."

"I do. Well, anyways, I came to tell you, you can leave now. Better get ready and all that." He tried his best not to show his hurt pride in his eyes. All he wanted to do was love her, yet she didn't feel the same way. It hurt like hell, but just knowing her was better than nothing.

A smile erupted onto Gabriella's face as she threw the cloth into a bucket of water and untied her apron. Putting it to the side and grabbing her coat and bag, she hugged Jay, thanking him for letting her away early.

"If I didn't know you better Gabs, I'd think you didn't like working here." He smirked as she wondered to the door. She turned around swiftly before replying.

"Jay, you are silly! You know this is my dream job." A lazily smile glazed her face as she winked in his direction and moved out the doors of Lime Water.

Working there was far from her dream job.

SUN beat down on her as she moved through the streets of New York, nearing her apartment. She smiled as she walked by, passing people who looked like they loved life, and that made Gabriella happy. Nothing made Gabriella happier than seeing others happy. She had been like that since she had been young. She had never cared about what she had gotten for Christmas, she just wanted to see a smile erupt on others faces as they opened their presents. A smile was more rewarding that anything else in the world, Gabriella thought.

She entered the street her loft apartment was on and she collected her keys from her oversized bag. Grabbing them in her hand she walked quicker, desperate to get inside. Opening the door, she heard the lock click and she rushed in.

"IT'S ME."

She stopped dead to see if anyone would reply to her shouting, but nothing came. Sharpay must be out. Smiling she dropped her bag and coat onto the sofa and ran upstairs. She reached her bedroom, but passed the door, running to the bottom of the hall and opening another door. Running up the small staircase she felt around her neck for what she was looking for. Clutching it in her hand she untied the key from her neck, slotted it into the lock and the creaky door swung open.

The light from the roof windows shone brightly into the normally dark room. She entered. It was like heaven. He feet walked over the floorboards hearing the occasional creak. Sitting down at her stool she sighed in contentment. She was about to do what she loved.

Her passion.

Her weakness.

Her painting.

Her fingers locked around the thinnest paintbrush and she felt a surge of inspiration go through her. Looking in front of her she saw the painting she had started in the early hours of this morning. Not being able to sleep did have some advantages. It seemed that when she was sleep deprived the most outrageous thoughts came into her mind, but turned out to be the best paintings, drawings or sketches. But last night she had let go with the paint, letting all her emotions out onto the page, and the result was… quite amazing.

The colour, the dynamics, the tones, shades, everything blurted out to her, needing to get their point across. She smiled as she looked at her work. It was her pride and joy.

Moving across to the table she colleted her paint and water. For the next hour and a half she studied, looked, painted, and let her artistic streak shine through her hands onto the page. Once she was done she felt exhausted, but happy. Her energy had drained dramatically, but the painting was extraordinary, and that was all that mattered.

Lifting it up into the light, her eyes poured onto the page, looking for weakness. She was so engrossed in it she didn't hear her room mate enter the room.

A large gasp was heard behind her. She smiled, "It does have that effect, doesn't it."

Sharpay squealed, "Gabi, I've never seen anything like this. Your other paintings are marvellous, but this… this is your new standard!"

"I know. But I don't know where it came from, it just appeared."

"Well, just look at it. It's…. wow."

She had painted herself using different but exaggerated colours, but in her hands was the earth. To her it symboled that the world was her oyster, and that anything could happen.

She couldn't have been more right.

Thanks for reading :) I'll be updating my other stories before this one, so please be patient for the next chapter.

Anways, please review :D