Perfectly Ruined by:jdollar *a D'Amore story*

Chapter 40

|||||||| mama I'm in love with a criminal- Brittany Spears |||||||
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Pauly
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It takes a few minutes before I'm able to I'm to return to the ballroom. Caroline hasn't emerged from the bathroom yet and I shouldn't still be there when she does. I find Oscar and Arabella, Lex has found his way back to them. They watch as I approach them.

"You missed a spot," Arabella whispers next to me. "On your cheek."

I wipe the red smear from my cheek and ignore the looks from Lex and Oscar. They might be confused but Arabella knows exactly what I've been up to.

"Is Tommy ready?" I ask Lex.

He nods, his eyes on Samuel who's standing across the room. Caroline's father has joined the party and the man practically shoots daggers at me with his stare. He and Samuel speak to each other with hushed voices and I wonder what they're discussing. Then the good Doctor and Samuel notice Caroline walking back into the room and they look from her to me. My eyes follow her as she makes her way back to Jamie. She's reapplied her red lipstick, her cheeks still a soft pink from our makeout session. Jamie leans down to ask if she's alright, she nods, and then searches the room for me. It takes her just a moment to spot me and when she does, she drops her gaze.
I should be happy for her.
If things were different, maybe I would be.
Nah.
I'd still hate the idea of her being with anyone else.
But for whatever reason, Jamie just rubs me the wrong way. He'll never be able to care for her the way I do. I watch as Jamie raises a hand to rub away a mark on her chin, no doubt from my having kissed her, and his gaze moves to mine. I don't turn away but look right back at the man. He has two choices here. He could make a scene and loose her. Or he can ignore what he can't change and keep her.
A part of me secretly wishes he'd cause a fight between them. Breaking up with her so she could be mine again. Yes, I'm that selfish. But because I can't be with her the way I want to, so I pray he let's this go. For her sake. Not his.
Lex and Oscar move away, leaving me with Arabella, as they go to make ready for the show. It seems Mr. Jamie Valter has made the right decision, for he has wrapped his arm around her, and turned away from me. Arabella watches me as I look after the couple and she sighs.

"Why won't you just get her back? She doesn't really care for him. Just fix it already," she grumbles beside me.

I look down at her for just a moment before finding Caroline again.

"She cares about you. Why would you give that up?" Arabella presses.

"Because I love her," I finally admit it. Arabella looks up at me in shock. But her smile fades when I add, "but I can't make her happy."

"You could if you tried," she doesn't give up.

"Could I? She wants things that I'll never be able to give her. A perfect life is just not in the cards for me."

Arabella rolls her green eyes at me. "Pauly, you're brilliant but still just a man."

"What'd mean?"

"I mean you men think you're so smart but really, your all quite stupid," she tasks. "Women dream of a life they want when we're young girls but that dream can change. When someone comes into your life, sometimes, things change. Take me and Oscar, for example. I never planned on being with anyone, ever. Couldn't even stand to be touched and then Oscar bumped into my life and everything changed. I'm married, about to graduate from nursing school, living in a beautiful apartment with the love of my life. Do you really think Mia 'planned' on this life? And we all know how happy she is. My point is, sometimes, things don't work out the way we 'plan' but sometimes things can work out for the better."

I look down at the young woman who married my cousin. Arabella Green...no, Arabella D'Amore now. She's different from the person I met nearly four years ago now. Braver, stronger, and...clearly smarter than me.