A/N: Taylor Kinney as Edward Cornerwall on the gallery :)
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"You look so familiar
Have we ever met before?"
-You Look So Familiar (Dean Martin)
**********
Someone knocked thrice on the door.
"Who is it?" Abigail asked.
"Doctor Sara Calloway," a lady answered.
Abigail opened the door. There was a tall, thin, white, brunette lady around her early 40s. She has a medium length wavy hair, pair of thin glasses, and she was also wearing a lab gown.
"Hi! How are you?" Abigail asked as she hugged Sara.
"Quite delighted to see you again!" Sara replied as she hugged back.
As they both let go, Abigail let Sara take a seat on the couch. They sat next to each other.
"It's the time of the year again," Sara informed her, and Abigail got pissed. "Research time again?"
Sara nodded. "Last quarter of controlled experiment."
"What experiment are we going to do now?" Abigail asked.
"We're now done with both guys and both girls," Sara recalled, "So it's now... a boy and a girl. Oh great, it's like watching Big Brother, you know, when a guy and a girl will 'fall in love' with each other?"
"That's so cliché in reality TV shows," Abigail gave her opinion.
"But yeah, we're not going to see if they're gonna fall in love with each other. You know our experiment has something to do with being self-made."
It looks like Abigail liked where this is going.
**********
After talking about their new experiment, Sara's phone vibrated. She checked her phone and looked at the message. "Damn, my husband texted me to go home. Children problems."
"Yeah, sure, go ahead," Abigail replied, concealing the sadness that she has been feeling.
Before Sara walked out the door, Ashley came out from the arch behind them. She also saw Sara near the door, so she greeted her. "'Sup, Sara? When's the next appointment?"
"Your sister will just tell it to you," Sara replied. Afterwards, she left.
Abigail sat on the couch once again, still feeling sad about what she heard from Sara. But this time, it is now obvious. Ashley sat next to her to comfort her.
"Still can't get over about the divorce?" Ashley asked as she rubbed her sister's back.
"Not really," Abigail clarified. "It's just that... what if the miscarriage didn't happen four years ago? Would I still be where I am right now-"
"Hey, stop whining about your past life," Ashley cut her sentence short. "At least you're free from his chains. Like I swear to your ex-husband's life, he's the worst, manipulative person I've ever met, you know that. Thank goodness he's in jail right now. And you're here, a psychologist at Brown."
Abigail smiled in relief. "Yeah, if I'm with him, I wouldn't be where I am right now."
"Well, great!" Ashley changed the topic. "Anyway, enough about your ex-husband. I also heard about your new research."
"Wait, you were eavesdropping the whole time?!" Abigail sounded quite upset.
Ashley shook her head. "While grabbing food in the kitchen, I heard your conversation about this research. I didn't really listen though. All I heard was until when you asked Sara what to do. And then I went upstairs. When I went down again, I was about to get food once again, but I heard Sara is leaving. End of story."
"For a person like you, that was quite a good, long, well-narrated story!" Abigail was impressed by Ashley's improvement.
Because of that, Ashley got flattered... and then ended after around 2 seconds. "Anyway, that's not my point. I WANT TO BE A PART OF YOUR RESEARCH!"
Abigail was bewildered upon hearing what her sister just said.
"I mean it, Abby! After seeing lots of people participating at your research, I figured... I wanna be a part of it." It looks like Ashley's intention was real. "Also, I work on a discount with people like you. I'm 10% off of what you pay to others, baby."
Abigail contemplated about it. She thought if Ashley can do it without any possible bad condition.
"I'll think about it."
"That's what I'm talking about!" Ashley stood up happily and left the room.
Meanwhile, Abigail looked troubled. "Oh, this is a big mess."
**********
Meanwhile, after taking care of her two boys in her mansion-like house, Sara went to her husband's mini office at the lower ground. It looked organized and tidy. Her husband was writing something on lots of paper, probably documents urgently needed.
Sara sat in front of her husband. "Honey, I need your help."
"How did you get in?" her husband asked.
"The door is open."
Sara's husband looked at the door, and it was indeed open. "Very well. Anyway, what do you need?"
"Do you know someone who is free until the end of October? Like nothing to do at all, no work, no important matters, no office," Sara asked.
"Yes, jobless people who has been slacking for their lifetime." her husband answered sarcastically though.
"I'm serious!" Sara said with a straight face.
When Sara's husband stopped signing to look at her, he suddenly remembers. "Your cousin! He's free until the end of October! He got suspended at work!"
"Who, Eddy?"
"Yup."
"But why is he suspended?" Sara became curious.
"I don't know, family problems? You know how Cornerwalls could get. Besides, that reason is also why I have shitloads of paper right now," her husband replied, continued signing the papers.
**********
So Sara drove her way to Downtown to see her cousin, Edward.
Her cousin's condominium was tall and classy. There were lots of paintings -both abstract and realistic- in the lobby. Vending machines are also available for convenience. A huge chandelier was hanging on the ceiling. Since it is an afternoon, the chandelier's light was not on yet. The sun outside illuminates the place through the glass windows. Cars passing by could be also seen.
Sara went to the male receptionist and said, "I'll visit my cousin, Edward Cornerwall. Penthouse."
"Just sign your name here," the receptionist instructed, giving Sara a big book and a pen.
After signing the required credentials, the receptionist instructed, "Take the elevator to the left and go to the last floor."
So Sara followed the instructions. When Sara made it in front of the room, she rang the doorbell.
"Who is it?" the man inside asked.
"Your cousin, Sara Calloway," Sara replied.
It took a while before Edward opened the door. He was just wearing a white undershirt and red boxers. "What do you want?"
"Are you free until the end of October?" Sara asked, but Edward did not answer the question. "I'm afraid you're aware of what happened to me."
"Of course, my husband works in your company," Sara replied.
"Anyway, why'dya ask?" Edward asked, but Sara did not answer his question at first. "Wouldn't you let me in first?"
"Oh yes, where are my manners?" Edward apologized as he let his cousin inside his room.
His loft room has a big window that could illuminate the whole bricked room. The wooden floor glistens from the sunlight. Various paintings were hung on the wall.
In the meantime, Sara sat on the brown sofa. It has a black and white striped carpet below. There is also a small glass table in front. A 40-inch plasma TV on the wall in front, where Edward is standing next to right now.
"Anyway, I would like you to be a part of my upcoming experiment," Sara proposed.
"Sounds like Dr. Hyde will do something to Frankenstein," Edward thought, but Sara clarified, "No, not like that. I'm talking about psychological experiment."
"What do you mean?" Edward became curious.
"You get to stay with someone for fourteen days. It's up to you when you wanna communicate with her," Sara explained.
But there is something that grabbed Edward's attention. "Her? I'll be with a girl?"
"Yup, but that doesn't mean that you can have a relationship with her. I know you, Eddy," Sara warned him.
"You know I break hearts for a reason, right?" Edward tried to defend himself, but Sara told him, "But that's still not a valid excuse."
Then Sara returned to the topic. "Anyway, are you in or not? Not to mention, I'll be paying you too, don't worry."
"I'm not in it for the money, I'm in for the adventure," Edward hastily accepted, which Sara made her ask this question, "So it's okay if I won't pay you-"
"No, I'm just kidding about the money," Edward replied, shaking his hands.
"Anyway, meet me on Wednesday at the Alpert Medical School, 1PM, my office," Sara informed.
"Wait, in Brown?" Edward asked, trying to recall something.
"Yup. That's where you studied, right?" Sara replied as she stood up from the couch. "By the way, you'll be seeing your 'it girl' there too."
And then she left.
After Sara left, Edward grabbed the remote on the black mini cabinet below the TV. He sat on the couch and just watched basketball.
**********
Wednesday, 12:45PM. Edward just made it to the Alpert Medical School at Brown University. He just parked his silver 2013 Audi R8 on the parking garage. He got out from his car and thought, "Welcome back to Brown."
He went in to the prestige building. Wooden floors, white pillars, white lights, and glass stairs and handrails were seen in the building. Medical doctors and students were also seen going around the building.
Edward went to the old female receptionist and said, "Doctor Sara Calloway."
"Approval paper?" the receptionist asked, but Edward does not have one. "Sara- I mean, Dr. Calloway didn't give me one."
"I'll just call her. Please hold," the receptionist requested.
So the receptionist called Sara from her office via telecom. "Hello, Dr. Calloway? You have a visitor downstairs. I'm just checking if you know him."
While waiting, Edward was fixing his leather jacket.
She faced at Edward and asked, "Name, sir?"
"Edward Cornerwall," Edward answered.
"Edward Cornerwall," the receptionist returned to the phone. "Okay ma'am, thank you."
She put down the phone. She told him as he gave him a thick book and a pen and said, "Just write your name here, and give me your ID."
Edward wrote the necessary credentials and gave her his driver's license. After that, the receptionist instructed, "Take the elevator to the left. Go to the fifth floor, and go to Room 503."
So Edward followed what the lady instructed. When he made it in front of the office, the first thing he noticed was the name plate engraved 'Dr. Sara Cornerwall-Calloway, MD, Psychiatrist'. He opened the door, and there was a young female secretary that has an ID that says that she is an intern for Sara. "Good afternoon, sir. How can I help you?"
"I'm looking for Sara Calloway," Edward said.
"Name, sir?" the secretary asked.
"Edward Cornerwall," he answered.
"Oh, you're Dr. Calloway's special guest!" the secretary sounded excited. "Just go straight ahead! Dr. Calloway's waiting for you."
Edward went straight ahead, and he ended up in a laboratory full of MRI pictures. He saw Sara waiting wearing a lab coat once again. "Last Sunday, I saw you with a lab gown. Today, you're still wearing one."
"Well, this is my signature style," Sara said. "Anyway, your partner is also here. Abby, show him his partner."
Abigail went out the other room with Edward's partner... Ashley. She was wearing a grey and red striped sweater.
"It's you!"
"It's you!" they both exclaimed, pointing at the other.
When Edward saw Ashley, he felt like he was in a basketball game, and he saw the lady who has been watching their games all the time, which caught his attention. Meanwhile, when Ashley saw Edward, she felt like she saw the good-looking basketball player that she was secretly rooting for.
"Wait, you know each other?" Abigail asked, quite upset.
"Yeah, he's the guy I've talked to you about last Saturday," Ashley answered. "Cornerwall, 28."
"You know my jersey number?" Edward asked Ashley, and she nodded.
"Where did you meet this girl?" Sara asked Edward.
"I always see her on the bleachers during my basketball game-"
"Wait, how on Earth did you notice me over hundreds of people in the bleachers?" Ashley felt weird when she heard what Edward said. Edward became dumbfounded when he just realized what he said, but he made an alibi. "You always sit with my teammate's sister. Kubrick, right?"
Ashley nodded, quite amazed at his answer.
Meanwhile, Abigail and Sara were dismayed because their clients know each other. Sara was the first one to rant about it. "How the hell did you know each other? The world's vast enough already for our clients not to know each other before the experiment!"
"You know what they say, 'It's a small world after all,'" Edward quoted, but Abigail dropped the bomb. "Sorry guys, but we're afraid we have to void one of you."
"Wait, what?!" both Ashley and Edward expostulated.
"But I need to do something during my free time! And I really wanna help you, Abby!" Ashley claimed.
"Same here, Sara! And I need money!" Edward claimed.
"But are you sure of what you're saying? Or you're just saying that because of your condition?" Abigail asked Ashley.
"But I thought you want to participate even though I won't give you money?" Sara told Edward.
"Abby, I really meant what I've said. I wanna help you; I wanna be a part of your experiment," Ashley convinced her sister.
"Sara, you know I was kidding about that, right? Also, no pay for the whole October? How will you survive that?" Edward convinced his cousin.
The two doctors went to the other room and talked about it.
"Abby, seriously? Your sister? You know her condition!" Sara whispered loudly to Abigail, upset at what she have done.
"My sister's close to normal, you know that!" Abigail whispered back, defending Ashley. "Besides, you also got your cousin."
"What? I felt sorry for him because he was suspended 'til the end of October," Sara whispered.
"You know, just get both of them so our problems will be finished," Abigail said, wanting their conversation to end.
"Fine."
Meanwhile, Ashley and Edward were standing next to each other, waiting for the 2 doctors to come out.
"So that blonde doctor's your sister?" Edward started the conversation.
Ashley nodded. "And I presume that Dr. Calloway's your cousin."
Edward nodded. "So I assume that your sister is most of the time addressed as Dr. Carter?"
"Hell, no! Why the hell did you just assume that?" Ashley asked, feeling strange of what she just heard.
"Your name's Liz Carter, right?" Edward asked.
Suddenly, Ashley remembered why he thought of that. "You were Jason's friend who bought my painting!"
"Yeah, that's me," Edward affirmed.
"You know, Liz Carter is just my pen name," Ashley informed him.
Because of that, Edward felt like a fool believing that he already knows the name of his 'mystery girl'. "It's not your real name?"
"Nope."
"Then what's your real name, then?"
Ashley was about to say her real name, but Abigail and Sara came out from the other room. Abigail said the good news, "Anyway, so Sara and I talked inside about you two. We'll get you both for our experiment!"
"Yes, thank God!" Edward sighed in relief.
"Oh, thanks." Ashley did the same.
"Anyway, so we'll start on Sunday, but you'll be in the cabin starting Saturday. We'll explain the rules there," Abigail informed.
"So you only have three days to talk with your friends outside, including today," Sara told them.
"Wait, we're not allowed to go outside? But what if it's for an emergency?" Edward asked.
"You're only allowed to go out five times. When it comes to emergency, you can just contact us," Abigail clarified.
"So yeah, guys, see you on Saturday!" Sara told them. "You may all go."
**********
Thursday afternoon, Ashley was with her friends who are also freelancers like her. They are currently staying in the studio of their art building. They were seated on the circular bench situated next to the black and white action painting.
As Ashley announced about the upcoming social experiment, she got different kinds of reactions. Most of them were concerned about her.
"Social experiment... for fourteen days?!" Aileen, the Filipina who has a voluminous pixie brown hair, dark brown eyes, and fair skin, exclaimed.
"Yeah, but it's okay, I'll still make art while I'm there," Ashley replied.
"So you'll be there with... Cornerwall... for fourteen days?!" Gabby asked, kind of feeling weird because she once knew the guy too.
"Yes, that same Cornerwall in the basketball game and in the bar that we saw days ago."
"What does the guy look like? Is he single?" Manny, the Malaysian-Canadian gay around his early 40s, asked.
"Just a typical Caucasian man with blue eyes. You know, what you see in TV shows," Ashley described. "And I don't know if he's single or not."
"Oh great, a typical meninist," Eliza, an African-American lesbian around her late 20s, muttered.
"Hey, Eliza, don't hastily judge. That's in our code, right?" Ashley warned her.
"But we're going to miss you," Claire, a redhead white woman around her mid-30s, said as she hugged Ashley from the shoulder.
"Aww, you really are so clingy," Ashley said as she did a pout face to Claire. After that, she added, "But I could still go here, guys. I just have to bring the" -Ashley looked at Eliza and jokingly said- "meninist."
They all laughed at Ashley's joke.
"Good luck there, Ash!" Gabby said.
"Don't get filled with testosterones!" Eliza warned.
"Guys, I'm not going to die!" Ashley told them. "Well, unless if Cornerwall kills me, and my sister will sue him, but I don't think he'll do that."
**********
Friday afternoon, while their band was setting up the equipment, Edward shared the news.
"Fourteen days... with Liz Carter?!" Jason was shocked and jealous at the same time.
"Yes, and her name isn't actually Liz Carter," Edward informed.
"What's her name then?" Jason became puzzled.
"That, I don't know yet," Edward shrugged.
"But how did you know that Liz Carter isn't her name?" Jason was looking for answers to fill his curiosity.
"Look who's jealous," Matt ridiculed, and everyone laughed except for Jason.
"Not funny! She just dumped me!" Jason felt sad.
"Yeah, and many other girls you also invited," George recalled. They laughed once again except for Jason.
"By the way, since we're only allowed to go out five times, I'll go here every Friday and I'll invite her" -Edward looked at Jason- "just for you."
Everyone laughed once again except for Jason. He said, "I'll just find another woman."
"Yeah, sure, you hopeless romantic stick," Matt teased. Everyone laughed again except for Jason.
**********
A/N: Hi! Long time, no post. Anyway, I've changed the chapter titles into song titles. Either the song is sung in the chapter, or a part of the song lyrics is related to the chapter. I don't even know if I should change the title of this story because the social experiment is only around 25% of the story. Anyway, so I hope you like this :)