Mikko



That went well , his thoughts were only able to run in happy circles. Even though it was a cold, dark winter night Mikko felt a heat coming from his heart that was still beating three times to fast. His hand was warm from where Penolope had held it all the way back to her house from the ice cream parlor, and his lips were hot from when she kissed him on her doorstep. He was glad to be walking alone in the dark simply for the fact that he was practically skipping and grinning like an idiot.


His mother would have told him only a crazy person would go for ice cream near Christmas time, but Penolope had no issue with it. His mother. Mikkos giddy mood was ruined when he remembered the reason he was here. His mother was missing. As much as he trusted Penolope, and knew in his soul she could never have hurt her, he could tell she was hiding something. He had thought she might tell him at the ice cream parlor, but she hadn't. He was worried not just for his missing mother, but also Penolope. It was clear her family was the opposite of Mikkos. Mikkos family had raised him to love with love, and they had cared for the northern environment they lived in. Penolopes family was on the verge of ruining his homeland with oil rigs and diamond mines.


Mikko shook his head to clear his thoughts. Right now he could let himself be happy. He had his first kiss today, and he really cared for Penolope. She had invited him to her family's fancy Christmas ball, and he could press for details about his mother and her family's plans and secret agendas then.