I'm an incredibly slow writer, so it's a miracle that I managed to finish this within a weekish. There's a lot of exposition in this chapter, and I apologize. But please bear with me as this is only chapter two. Things will get more interesting soon!

Well, enjoy~

The stack of papers on Gemma's desk seemed to be alive, for it continued to grow and grow into some hideous, towering thing. Soon, it would also grow a mouth and swallow Gemma whole if she didn't start working on them, but she was too absorbed in creative brainstorming to really care. Work abandoned, pen in hand, she stared at the blank notebook paper, trying to formulate a story plot.

'What to write, what to write,' she thought. The possibilities were endless, but today, it seemed that the plot bunnies had taken refuge in their hiding spots; she would have to try to find a way to lure them out.

Suddenly, the phone rang, startling her out of her thoughts. Saving the brainstorming for another day, Gemma answered it.

"Miss Doyle," Elizabeth, her secretary, said, "there's someone for you on line one."

"Okay, thank you, Elizabeth." Clearing her throat, she pushed the flashing button on the phone and spoke in her professional, business voice. "Good morning, Gemma Doyle, financial director of Doyle Corporation, speaking."

"Good morning, Gemma Doyle," said an all too familiar voice, copying her business-like demeanor. "This is Simon Middleton, your idiot of a boyfriend, and I wish to take a few minutes of your time- you aren't too busy, are you?"

"No, I-I, uh, was just trying to brainstorm for a new story," she stammered, shocked at this unexpected phone call.

"Ah, another story? That sounds like code for procrastination," he replied, his tone light.

"I am not procrastinating," she said, trying to be serious despite the small smile creeping across her face. "Just taking a creative break. There's a difference, you know."

Simon chuckled. "Okay, a creative break it is then."

"Thank you. So, to what do I owe this phone call?" she asked coolly.

"Oh, right. Gemma, I would like to apologize for yesterday. You're probably upset with me-"

"Pissed as hell," she chided.

"-and I just wanted to say that I'm sorry that I made you angry or upset. I'm really sorry, Gem. But," Gemma felt her stomach tighten, not sure where this conversation was heading, "I did mean what I said about not being ready to get married. Not yet, at least. There are still some… things that I need to settle, okay Gemma?"

Well, at least he had the decency to apologize, right? "… Fine," she said after a long pause, sighing.

"Does that mean you've forgiven me?" Simon asked, his voice hopeful.

The Love Experiment came to mind, and she realized that she had not brought the subject up to Simon at all. "Yes, I'll forgive you, but under one condition."

"What's that?"

"Participate with me in the Love Experiment." Quickly, she summarized the events from last night, from getting stuck in the elevator, to meeting Kartik, Adam and Felicity, and then finally to agreeing to participate in the experiment. "We're going to meet tonight at 6pm. So what do you think? Are you in?"

Even though Gemma couldn't see Simon over the phone, she imagined a look of complete and utter confusion plastered on his face. "Um, what's the point of this, uh, this… experiment?"

"Well, I guess you can say it's like a test to see if the people we are with now are really, you know, the one."

"Uh huh," he sounded very unconvinced and rather skeptical. "It sounds… interesting, but I'll have to think about that. Anyway, must go. I have a call on the other line."

"Wait, Simon-"

But he had hung up without another word.

--

"Tom, I want you to be at my apartment by 6 o'clock," Felicity ordered as she lit a cigarette, completely ignoring the 'No Smoking' sign posted on the wall. She had just gone through the Love Experiment with him (though she kept Gemma's name anonymous), and although Tom kept asking questions and she had to repeat herself more times than necessary, she gave him an ultimatum: He had to participate, for his refusal to do so would only result in never having sex with her ever again.

"Oh," he looked like a puppy abandoned by his owner. "Well, I could just… find someone else to shag, whatever."

A cloud of cigarette smoke lingered in the air as Felicity exhaled. "Yes, you could. But could you shag a model?"

"A model?" Tom's eyes perked up, curious.

"Mm hmm," she took a long drag from her cigarette. "One of the participant's girlfriends is a model. Breath-takingly gorgeous was how he described her. So think, if you participate…" She trailed off, leaving Tom to his boyish fantasies. After less than a moment's thought, he agreed to join.

"Okay, I'll be there at 6," he replied. "Though I have to ask: What's in it for you?"

"Entertainment," Felicity said simply. "It sounds like it could be fun. Interesting."

Truth be told, she also felt sorry for Gemma. The red head seemed to be in such a distress last night (it was quite pitiful in Felicity's opinion), so it would have been terrible of her to refuse the offer. But moreover, she found it a huge coincidence that one of her neighbors happened to be a blood relative of Tom. Tom's lips were always sealed about his family members, never revealing a single word about them. It was like a secret, and Felicity couldn't stand secrets. She hated not knowing something, being kept in the dark.

"I met your younger sister," she said, seeing how he would react.

But his face did not change. "Did you?"

"Yes, she's a nice girl. It makes me wonder why you've never introduced me to her before."

"I've cut relations with my sister, as well as my father," was all he had to say. A secret, a secret. Felicity sighed, aggravated, as he continued his meal without another word, a flop of hair falling over his azure eyes.

"For God's sake, Tom, would you please use some gel to hold that bloody strand of hair in place, it's rather annoying."

"What? You don't find it, sexy?" He smirked in attempt to look alluring and desirable.

The blonde rolled her eyes, smothering her cigarette out on her plate. "Just eat the rest of your meal, please."

--

The air smelled of wet pavement bathed in rain, puddles splattered everywhere like paint on an artist's palate, remnants of last night's storm lingering as small wisps of clouds in the clear sky. Another perfect day for pictures, thought Kartik, as he made his way down the busy sidewalks. He had woken up especially early to capture the sun's victorious ascension in the early sky, to wander around the sleepy city of London. With a camera full of photographs, he couldn't wait to get back to the studio to develop them.

Joining the crowd waiting to cross the street, his stomach let out an angry growl. You've neglected me all day, now feed me, it commanded, letting out another howl for good measure. Right, change of plans: Food first, then go to the studio after. Kartik was going over the restaurant choices in his head, absent mindedly listening to a conversation taking place behind him.

"I can't make it tonight," said a man's voice.

A female voice with an American accent followed. "But you promised me, Simon."

Kartik's ears perked up in interest. Simon? As in, Gemma Doyle's boyfriend? No, it couldn't be; it was only a mere coincidence. There are probably thousands of Simons in the entire UK alone, so it couldn't possibly be Gemma's Simon. Besides, it was none of his business. To occupy his mind with other matters, Kartik went back to thinking about food, but try as he may, his ears refused to ignore the conversation and only listened for more.

"I know, I know, but I have to be somewhere tonight. Besides, I wouldn't want her to suspect anything."

Her? Who are they talking about?

"Okay, fine. How about tomorrow afternoon? "

Perhaps if Kartik quickly turned around to see what these people looked like, then maybe-

"Oh damn, let's hurry and cross the street, or else we're going to miss the light. But alright, tomorrow afternoon sounds…"

Their voices suddenly trailed off in the opposite direction. Kartik turned around to see if he could take a glance of these two, but just as he did so, it was clear to cross and he was swept away with the rushing crowd. Just a blur of faces was all he saw.

Oh well, it was just a coincidence, he thought to himself before returning to the mystery of what to eat for lunch.

--

The rest of the day seemed to go by so incredibly slow, for all Gemma did for the remainder of the day was tackling the paper work piling on her desk, that by the time it hit 5 o'clock, she leaped out of her seat, grabbed her things and got in the elevator, eager and ready to go home. But then she remembered that in an hour, she was supposed to meet everyone for the beginning of the Love Experiment. Without Simon, there wasn't much of a point to it anymore; she would just have to tell everyone that the experiment was off.

Disappointed, she let out a sigh as the elevator reached the lobby. Stepping out, she noticed someone lying on one of the sofas, asleep. When she neared the slumbering individual, she saw that it was no other than Simon himself. She brushed aside his strands of hair away from his peaceful face, her fingertips grazing his skin. He awoke from her touch, rubbing his eyes as he sat up.

"Hello, sleepyhead," Gemma said.

"What time is it?" Simon asked with a yawn.

"A little after five. What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you. Well, I was before I fell asleep. I came here right after work, so I was really tired, you see."

Gemma frowned. "Waiting for me?"

"Yeah. Don't you have some experiment-shindig thing going on today?"

"But… I thought that you weren't coming."

"I said that I would think about it, so I thought about it, and decided that I'll join in this experiment," he replied, grinning up at her.

Gemma smiled back and took his hand in hers, tugging him into a kiss. "Okay sleepyhead, let's go or else we're going to be late."

By the time they reached the apartment complex, Kartik, Adam and Felicity were already waiting, wine glasses in hand.

"You've made it," Felicity greeted as she handed both of them a glass, and filled it with red wine. "Felicity Worthington," she introduced herself to Simon.

"Simon Middleton," he replied.

A smirk spread across her face. "Yes, I know." Simon shot a confused look at Gemma, who only shrugged.

The other two introduced themselves as well, making light conversation. Gemma noticed Kartik's wary glance at Simon; it was as if he were trying to confirm suspicions of some sort. She didn't realize that she had been staring until his dark brown eyes met hers, and she quickly looked away.

The elevator doors swung open with a ding,and curiously, they watched to see who would step out. Gemma's eyes widened in shock.

"Alright, I'm here," Tom announced, his coat slung over his shoulder. His eyes scanned the room, and when he met an all too familiar pair of jade ones, he groaned. "Oh God, it's you."

"What the bloody hell are you doing here?" Gemma spat, marching up to him. Although it had been a good number of months since she had last seen him, she was not happy at all, not in the very least.

"It's nice to see you too," Tom bitterly laughed.

"You two know each other?" Adam inquired, feeling the growing hostility.

"No relation," Tom said as he took a glass and filled it to the brim with wine.

"They're siblings," Simon answered, holding Gemma back for she was seething in anger.

"You good for nothing brother- do you have any idea how worried father is?!" She looked like she was about ready to punch him in the face. "Do you have any idea how hurt we are that you just abandoned us without saying anything?"

"What's going on?" Kartik interrupted, quite confused about the bantering between the siblings.

The question went ignored. "No," Tom said, his words like ice. "And quite frankly I don't care. Look, if you're going to lecture me, I'm out of here." And he made his way towards the elevator.

"Tom!" Felicity called.

The moment he pressed the button for the 1st floor, the elevator opened and he came face to face with the most beautiful specimen of female he's ever laid eyes on. An intoxicating hint of perfume filled his nostrils as Pippa sauntered past, leaving him stunned. Slowly, he wandered back to the crowd.

"I thought you were leaving," Gemma glared at him.

"Changed my mind," Tom said, still drooling over Pippa.

Tom wasn't the only one astounded by Pippa; everyone, except for Kartik who had grown immune to her beauty's paralyzing sting, seemed to be effected by her presence (Gemma even had to hit Simon on the arm to make him snap out of his daze). A sight to behold, Gemma couldn't help but feel a little jealous of this girl's perfection.

"Kartik, I have arrived," Pippa said, hooking her arm with his. She did not mind the stares for she was basking in the attention.

"Glad to see that you could make it," Kartik replied. It was easy for him to get Pippa into this experiment. All he had to do was throw in the phrases 'Find your real prince Charming,' 'True love,' and 'This could be fate,' and Pippa agreed, finding it rather romantic.

"You're that model!" Felicity could not believe her eyes. "From the Vogue magazine!"

Pippa smiled, exposing a perfect set of shimmering, white teeth. "Pippa Cross," she introduced herself, eyeing Simon and liking what she saw. Noticing this, Gemma looped her arm with his as though to say, Hands off, bitch. He's mine.

Occupied with another round of introductions and more small talk, they did not notice Anne stepping out of the elevator. Silently, she walked over to Adam and stood by his side, head down and too afraid to make eye contact with anyone. Everyone stared at her, curious as to who she was or why she was there.

"Are you lost?" Felicity asked patronizingly, and Pippa suppressed the need to laugh.

"No, she's with me," Adam replied when Anne didn't. He gave her a reassuring smile. "Come on, Anne. Introduce yourself."

"My n-name is A-Anne B-Bradshaw," she stuttered, so nervous that her hands were shaking. "And, I-I…" As she meekly looked up, she saw Tom, her train of thought coming to a sudden halt. An awkward silence encompassed the room as everyone waited, expecting her to continue her sentiment. But she made not another word and eventually went back to staring at the floor.

"I'm Gemma Doyle," Gemma spoke out, saving Anne from the spotlight. She handed her a glass of wine as a sign of welcome. "It's nice to meet you." The others followed suit, introducing themselves to Anne, who they found rather strange and awkward.

"Now that we're all here and present, may we start with the Love Experiment?" Felicity asked, eager to begin.

"I don't understand why it's called the Love Experiment. Sounds like a lousy reality TV show to me," Tom scoffed under his breath. Felicity scowled and kicked him in the shin.

"Right, let's begin," said Adam. "Remember, we switch partners every week, and this continues until we have reached full cycle and returned to our original partners. And the goal is to test the loyalty of those we are with now-" he threw a knowing glance and Gemma "-and to see if there truly is just one person for everyone."

He reached into his left pocket and took out four cards, face-down, and handed one to each of the guys, taking the remaining one for himself. Reaching into his right pocket, he did the same with the girls. "The person with the same suit as yours is your partner for the week. I'll go first." He flipped his card over, showing a King of Spades.

"I'll go next!" Pippa excitedly said, holding up a Queen of Clubs. Simon followed after with a King of Diamonds, then Gemma with a Queen of Spades, Tom with a King of Clubs, Felicity with a Queen of Hearts, Kartik with a King of Hearts, and finally ending with Anne, who held up a Queen of Diamonds.

Everyone shuffled over to their respectable partners. Gemma looked over at Adam and he smiled warmly at her. A wide grin was plastered on Tom's face as Pippa looped her arms with his. Anne was still staring at the floor, while Simon stood next to her, hands in his pockets, and Kartik and Felicity didn't make much of an effort to communicate and instead, glared inquiringly as though sizing themselves up against each other.

"Everyone, I would like to propose a toast," Gemma announced, holding her glass up. "To love: may it find us all."

"To love," the others chorused. The sound of glass clunking against each other echoed through out the hall, a single thought coursing through everyone's minds:

This is going to be an unpredictable experience.

You're probably wondering, Why are Gemma and Tom so hostile towards each other? What's up with Tom? Was that really Simon that Kartik saw? And where's the Karma you promised?!

Don't worry, all these things and more will be explained as the story progresses. And things will get more interesting (hopefully)! Don't forget to review, they make me happy (o^.^o)

See you next chapter~