The updrafts in the building's air ducts carried the mosquito to the upper floors of the downtown office tower with little effort of its own. Lacking in higher brain functions, it wasn't looking for anything in particular. That first person just... wasn't very appetizing. It took a while to get from the basement levels to someplace more populated (John had no idea why his backers had him working in a basement office in such a busy area, but he didn't really question it), finally emerging into a posh corner office on a floor filled with busy office workers going about their day. A middle aged man was standing next to the desk, his arms folded as he sternly talked to someone sitting on the couch.
"Really, Mindy? Cutting class on a Monday? And to go to the mall, no less! Didn't you have the whole weekend to go shopping?"
"Kayla was visiting her grandparents all weekend. I couldn't try on dresses for the spring dance without her, Daddy!"
Stephen Masterson grumbled under his breath. He had hoped at 18 his daughter would've been more mature by now. What had gone wrong? He really worked hard to give her everything she wanted & needed. Was she really so spoiled?
"And besides," she continued, "Like, who cares if I miss school at this point? There's only like three months left and I'm already going to State in the fall. Why shouldn't I have a little fun in the meantime? At least I'm not running around doing drugs or whatever."
Stephen scoffed, "Mindy, honey, you're basically an adult now. You have to start living up to your responsibilities!"
This time Mindy scoffed. "Responsibilities? Like remembering your own anniversary, maybe? Is that how your secretary managed to be shopping at the mall on a work day, at the same time as me?"
"Sweetie, you know I'm very busy!"
"I'm busy too, y'know." Her phone buzzed and she picked it up. Kayla had just sent her a picture of the cute shoes she'd bought earlier. Mindy smiled and replied with a few heart-eyes emojis.
He sighed. "Listen, I've got meetings all day that I have to get back to. Your mother's stuck at the courthouse with that asshole judge. You need to wait here until I can take you home."
"So, you're punishing me for skipping school by keeping me out of school? Not bad!"
Stephen furrowed his brow. "Mindy, please. I just... I don't want you wandering around the office."
"Why not?"
"Just look at how you're dressed! That is not office-appropriate attire."
She looked down at herself then rolled her eyes. "Daddy, it's just leggings and a tank top!"
"Exactly! I can't have the men around here gawking at you all day!"
"Ew! That's not my fault! Maybe you shouldn't hire so many creeps. I can probably change into something even... more distracting if you want, though," she giggled, gesturing to the shopping bags at her feet.
"Enough!" he nearly yelled. He did not want to think about what other revealing outfits his daughter had stashed away. "Just. Stay. Here. I'll be done in a couple of hours." He turned and left the room, leaving Mindy to sulk in his office.
"Ugh, this sucks," she pouted to herself, flipping to lay on her side on the couch. She flipped back her long blond hair and picked up her phone again to start mindlessly texting, checking Instagram, taking selfies and playing with filters. As the boredom mounted, she suddenly felt a sharp itch on the back of her neck. She instinctively reached up to swat at it, but nothing was there. She looked around but saw nothing and only barely heard a faint, high-pitched buzzing trailing off into the air. Stupid mosquitos, she thought, Daddy better call an exterminator.
Soon Mindy Masterson's nose was buried in her phone again. This office was sooo boring! Little did she know things were about to get a bit more interesting...
