The school cafeteria buzzed with the usual chatter and laughter as Rodney picked at his turkey sandwich, his appetite lost in the sea of his anxious thoughts. Ally had been avoiding him ever since she confessed she had feelings for him at one point, and he couldn't help but worry that their friendship was hanging by a thread.

"Rodney, man," Derek said, pulling him from his thoughts. "She's just figuring things out. Give it time. After the holidays, I bet everything will go back to normal."

"Easy for you to say," Rodney mumbled. He appreciated Derek's honesty, but right now, he needed reassurance more than anything. "What if she didn't mean all that stuff about staying friends? What if she was just trying to let me down gently?"

"Trust me," Derek said, stealing half of Rodney's sandwich. "Best friends never really give up on each other. She'll come around."

"Thanks, Derek." Rodney offered a half-hearted smile before gathering his lunch tray and heading to class.

As Derek watched Rodney shuffle out of the cafeteria, he overheard Madison complaining animatedly to Chelsea. "Can you believe Ally's throwing an ugly holiday sweater party? I wanted to look cute, not like a walking disaster!"

"Hey, it'll be fun! She has a 50-dollar gift card to Starbucks as the prize for the ugliest sweater" Chelsea replied, her excitement evident. "Besides, it's just one night."

Derek's eyes narrowed as realization struck – Rodney hadn't been invited. He knew something had to be done, and fast or Rodney would be heartbroken.

-----

After school, Derek caught up with Rodney. "Hey, could you help me pick out a Christmas gift at the bookstore for my mom?" he asked, feigning desperation.

"Sure." Rodney agreed, puzzled. "But I thought your mom hated reading?"

"Ah, well," Derek hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. "She doesn't hate, she just avoids it at all costs." Rodney laughed and the pair headed out.

They arrived at Readmore Second Hand Bookstore, and Rodney's confusion only deepened. But before he could question Derek's motives, he bumped into Ally's mom, Tara.

"Rodney! What a pleasure seeing you here, it feels like ages since you have been over," Tara greeted them warmly. "Isn't Strathroy a wonderful town? Full of history, perfect for my book."

"Uh, yeah," Rodney stumbled, his face flushing as he tried to mirror her enthusiasm. "It's definitely... interesting."

"Speaking of interesting," Derek interjected smoothly. "I'm Derek and I can't wait for Ally's ugly sweater party. Sounds like a blast!"

"Wait, there's a party?" Rodney asked, his eyes widening in surprise.

"What do you mean what party?" Tara exclaimed, taken aback. "I thought Ally invited you. She must have been so busy planning it that she forgot. Here are the details." She scribbled down the details on a Post-it from her purse. "Sometimes I swear that girl would lose her head if it wasn't screwed on tight."

"Thanks, Mrs. Matthews." Rodney managed a smile as they left the bookstore.

"I can't believe Ally was throwing an ugly sweater party and didn't invite me, wait was this your plan all along?" he asked Derek, who simply nodded. "How did you even know Ally's mom would be here?"

"Easy," Derek grinned, pulling out his phone. "I followed Tara on Instagram. That woman practically lives on it."

"Thanks, man," Rodney said sincerely. "This could be my chance to fix things with Ally."

-----

"Marcy, can you help me make an ugly sweater for Ally's party?" Rodney asked, holding up a plain green sweater he found buried deep in his closet.

"Sure thing," Marcy replied, her freckled face lighting up with excitement. "I've got the perfect idea."

Together, they spent hours sewing plastic ornaments and tinsel onto the old green sweater until it looked like a horribly decorated Christmas tree. The once-plain fabric was now adorned with mismatched baubles, garish tinsel, and blinking fairy lights that Marcy had discovered at the bottom of their holiday decorations box.

"Wow, this is truly hideous," Rodney said, beaming with pride as he held up their creation. "Thanks for helping me, Marcy."

"Anytime," she replied, grinning widely. "Now go knock 'em dead at that party!"

-----

The day of the party arrived, and Marcy dropped Rodney off at Ally's house. As he walked up to the front door, he could hear the lively chatter of guests inside. Taking a deep breath, he entered and immediately felt like he'd been transported to a winter wonderland.

The living room was decked out in twinkling lights, and there was a sugar cookie decorating contest happening in one corner, while a group of kids played pass-the-present in another. Winter-themed treats were laid out on tables, and a large inflatable Santa dominated the center of the room.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

Rodney barely had time to take it all in when a flash went off in his face. Blinking away the spots in his vision, he saw Madison grinning behind a Polaroid camera.

"Sorry, Rodney! I'm taking pictures for the vote on who has the ugliest sweater," she explained, snapping another photo as he squinted at her. She gave him a once-over, her eyes narrowing as she took in the abomination he wore. "You're definitely the front-runner right now."

"Uh, thanks?" Rodney said, unsure whether to feel flattered or insulted. "Do you know where Ally is?"

"Somewhere in the house," Madison shrugged, already losing interest as she spotted another guest with an impressively ugly sweater. "You'll find her eventually."

"Helpful," Rodney muttered under his breath, feeling a mix of anticipation and anxiety at seeing Ally again. As he ventured deeper into the party, he couldn't help but wonder how their encounter would unfold, and whether coming to this party was really a good idea.

Deeper into the party, Rodney felt a swell of pride as people complimented his sweater and took photos with him. The tinsel twinkled under the fairy lights, and the plastic ornaments jingled with every step he took. Amidst the laughter and conversations, he caught the sound of Ally's voice and followed it toward a cluster of party-goers sitting in a circle, playing truth or dare.

As soon as Ally spotted Rodney, she left Matt's side and strode over to him, her face a mix of surprise and concern. "Rodney, I didn't know you were coming," she said, glancing between him and the monstrosity he wore.

"Your mom invited me," he replied, trying to sound casual. "I thought maybe you just forgot with everything else going on."

Ally paused for a moment, biting her lip before nodding. "Yeah, I'm so sorry. I've been really busy planning this party and... I guess I just forgot." She gave him a weak smile, but the awkward silence that hung between them was quickly shattered when Jordan breezed into the room and threw an arm around Rodney's shoulders.

"Is this the legendary holiday disaster I've heard so much about?" they exclaimed, eyeing Rodney's sweater with delight. "Looks like what would happen if a drugged-up arsonist tried to decorate a tree. I am here for it!"

"Thanks, I think?" Rodney replied, unable to suppress a grin.

"Seriously, dude, that thing's epic!" Luke chimed in, joining the group. He clapped Rodney on the back, making the ornaments jingle even louder.

From the corner of his eye, Rodney noticed Matt watching them, his jaw clenched and eyebrows furrowed. Seeming unable to hold back any longer, Matt approached Rodney with a scowl. "You don't look any different than normal," he sniped.

"Matt, that's uncalled for and a jerk move," Ally snapped, her eyes flashing with annoyance. She looked between Rodney and Matt, her chest heaving as if the air in the room had suddenly grown thin. Overwhelmed, she turned and fled from the room.

Rodney instinctively moved to follow her, but Luke grabbed his arm, shaking his head. "Let them sort it out, man. You don't want to get involved in their lovers' quarrel."

As Matt disappeared after Ally, Rodney couldn't help but worry about how he may have just ruined the party for Ally. He tried to focus on the party around him, but his thoughts kept straying back to Ally, and the awkward distance between them that just seemed to widen every day.

Rodney made his way to the bathroom, his spinning with negative thoughts. He locked the door behind him and leaned against it, taking a deep breath as he tried to talk himself down, he could just go home and spare Ally any more trouble. As he reached for the door, his phone buzzed in his pocket.

"Ally?" he whispered, surprised to see her name flash across the screen. It was an incoming call. His finger hovered over the decline button, but then he hesitated. Maybe she was calling because she wanted to talk about everything that had happened or even better because she had broken up with Matt. With a shaky hand, he swiped to accept the call and pressed the phone to his ear.

"Matt, you're smothering me!" Ally's voice rang out, clearly upset. Rodney realized it must have been a pocket dial, but he couldn't bring himself to hang up.

"Ally, I'm just trying to protect you," Matt's voice responded defensively.

"From who exactly? why don't you just say it!" Ally pushed.

"Rodney, you know he is after you right? He is always just trying to get with you" Matt said, and Rodney's heart dropped.

"Rodney is harmless, and I am allowed to be friends with whoever I want!" It was clear Ally was frustrated by Matt's accusations.

"I am just doing this because I love you," Matt countered.

"By hovering over me and trying to control my every move? That's not love, Matt. That's control."

Rodney listened intently, his stomach churning with anxiety as the argument unfolded. He knew he shouldn't have heard any of this, and quickly hung up the phone.

"Deep breaths," Rodney muttered to himself, trying to regain his composure. He unlocked the door and stepped back into the party, hoping to distract himself from the festivities. As he headed to grab a drink someone bumped into him from behind.

"Hey, Rodney! We have to stop meeting like this," Parker's voice greeted him, as he held Rodney steady. Parker was wearing a sweater featuring a purple alien cat playing an electric guitar, which just seemed to make his green eyes greener.

"Wow, that's... unique," Rodney stammered, trying to smile despite Matt and Ally's conversation being on replay in his mind.

"Thanks! Your sweater is pretty epic too," Parker replied with a grin, and for the first time since starting listening to Ally and Matt's conversation, Rodney felt a flicker of genuine happiness. They exchanged awkward glances, unsure of what to say next.

"Is it just me or is this living room feeling a bit cramped with all these people in it, do you want to go get some air with me?" Parker finally suggested, sensing Rodney's unease.

'That would be amazing," Rodney agreed, grateful for the escape and they stepped outside into the gently falling snow.

As they walked side by side, Parker asked "I have been meaning to ask you something for a while now, you care a lot about Ally right? I was just wondering when it went from friendship to love." Rodney wasn't sure if it was the cold or not but Parker almost seemed to blush asking the question.

Rodney hesitated "Last year I lost my dad, in a car accident on his way home from work. I went to a really dark place, but Ally never left me, even when most of my other friends stopped coming around or asking to hang out. I know I was the fun to be around but she helped a lot, dragging me to places and trying to make me smile. I knew then I loved her, I just wasn't ready to tell her then."

"Oh wow, I am sorry. I know losing someone is never easy, my brother was born with a heart defect, and I only knew him for two weeks. I still think about him a lot though, mom still hangs a stocking for him at Christmas." Parker stopped and looked up at the sky. "All I can say is it gets easier in time, more good than bad days"

Rodney pulled Parker into a hug, an automatic response to his story and feeling like someone finally got him "I had no idea, I am so sorry for your loss."

"Isn't it funny how we can share these things with each other?" Parker mused, smiling softly at Rodney. "I guess those with shared trauma just get each other," he said half-jokingly, in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Rodney laughed, nodding in agreement "We should head back." though Rodney wasn't sure he was ready to end their embrace just yet.

"Good idea, if I get any colder I might end up losing a toe," As they walked through the snow, silent but content, Rodney couldn't help but imagine kissing Parker under the mistletoe. The thought brought a warmth to his heart, and he wondered why everything felt so much easier with Parker.