55

A few days later…

Mia’s monotonous week was weighing on her. Only her time bonding with nature seemed to give her some relief from the mind-numbing boredom that had become her daily life. She sat at the local park after a run, curled up under her favorite tree, wondering what her new friend, Fake Cyrus, was doing. She hadn’t heard from him in a few days and got curious if he was thinking about her now too.

Opening her Twitter account, she sent a message.

MissMia: What up, Fake Cyrus? Have you found another hot girl to harass? Can’t talk to you buddy Mia anymore. I’m crushed.

A few minutes later, her phone pinged.

(Twitter message from @FakeCyrus.)

FakeCyrus: Hey sexy mama. Sorry. Can’t talk right now. I’m heading to work, and Chicago traffic is brutal. Text you later tonight. I’m running late.

Mia rolled her eyes, “I wonder if he is a wrestler or just some freaky basement dweller? He probably goes to comic cons and has every Star Wars and IWX wrestling collectible known to man. I wouldn’t surprise me if he weighs five hundred pounds and dresses up like Cyrus, doing a mini wrestling show for his cats,” she giggled.

“Okay, that was mean. He’s a nice person. I don’t care who he is. He’s my friend now. I guess I shouldn’t mention to him I have an IWX t-shirt collection, and some action figures of my favorite wrestlers.” Mia facepalmed herself, shaking her head. “Okay… so I’m a geek too.”

***

Back at home, Mia was cleaning and doing laundry. She checked her phone a few times, strongly hoping Fake Cyrus would message her. It was becoming an addiction talking to this man. She wasn’t sure why talking to someone she didn’t even know made her so giddy with excitement. Mia assumed it was because she hadn’t talked to a man, other than clients, in a few years. Not even one date. Except for a lame date her salon friends set her up with. She was dead zoned in the dating pool after that fiasco.

The blind date was a disaster. The guy was so self-absorbed she couldn’t make any type of conversation with him. Not to mention the man telling her she would be pretty if she just “lost a few pounds”. He had the mental depth of a dry puddle. The man was a bar promoter that loved himself more than life itself. He talked about how great he was all evening and it set the stage for the entire night. Until she excused herself and ditched him through a back-entry door. The night had been a bust.

Around midnight, Mia was watching a movie and drifting off. She heard her phone ping and rubbed her eyes, trying to wake up with a long-exaggerated yawn.

FakeCyrus: Sorry, my flower. It’s been a rough night. Work was crazy today, and I was almost late for a big investor meeting early this morning. Then I had to catch a flight to a house show. I didn’t mean to blow you off earlier.

MissMia: It’s okay. Your flower?

FakeCyurs: It was something my father used to call my mom. I guess it’s a family thing. Can you talk now?

MissMia: Sure. Where are you? Never mind. You’ll just say wherever IWX was tonight.

FakeCyrus: I was going to say I’m in bed at the hotel. I wasn’t planning to say where. You may decide to stalk me or something if I told you.

MissMia: I would have to know who you are first before I made that choice.

FakeCyrus: I told you who I am. You just don’t believe me. Anyway, what are you doing right now? Did I wake you?

MissMia: No. I don’t work tomorrow in the salon. I took the day off to get some personal errands done and went on a little hike around the park earlier.

FakeCyrus: You hike often?

With an irritated huff, Mia typed quickly on her phone, expecting that he was addressing her weight.

MissMia: Did you ask that because I’m a big girl?

FakeCyrus: No. Of course not. I just was curious. I love the outdoors.

Mia sat in silence. She knew he wasn’t being rude, but it was almost instinctual after people always assumed she wasn’t into fitness.

MissMia: I’m sorry. I guess it’s a reflex for me to just assume. I love the outdoors too. I like to do just about anything outside. Fishing, swimming, boating, etc. Sorry, if I am distracted. I am trying to get some cleaning done at home so I can go out tomorrow and relax.

Cyrus smiled, thinking he must have hit the jackpot with this girl by having a similar interest.

FakeCyrus: Any plans?

MissMia: I’m thinking about going into the city. There’s a nice blues club I like downtown. They let me sing sometimes.

FakeCyrus: You sing too? That’s cool. Just blues?

MissMia: Rock, blues, jazz, a lot of things.

FakeCyrus: That’s cool. I play the guitar. What’s your favorite music? Band?

MissMia: Rock and alternative, mostly. Metallica, Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam, stuff like that. I do like hip-hop and rap. You?

FakeCyrus: Rock and Heavy Metal. Even a little classical occasionally. Movies?

MissMia: Superhero, comedy, no horror. Freaks me out.

FakeCyrus: No girly crap or sappy rom-com stuff?

MissMia: Nope. Boring. I need some action.

Mia got a little nervous from the long pause that came after. Until another message popped up.

FakeCyrus: I wish I could sit and talk to you in person. I’m not much of an internet guy.

MissMia: That would be cool if I knew who you were. I don’t want to end up in a basement chopped up by some psycho. Lol. So, are you a wrestler? NO JOKES!

FakeCyrus: I am. I promise. No lie.

MissMia: That’s cool. I used to want to be a wrestler, or at least a manager or something. I love being on stage. My career got off track with grown-up stuff. I like to eat and live indoors. Ya know? So, I got caught up in life instead of living out my dreams. Adulting sucks sometimes.

FakeCyrus: Never too late to reach for your dreams. You could be a manager if you wanted to. Have you ever been in the ring, wrestling?

MissMia: I worked in the indies for a while and trained to wrestle. I wasn’t too bad either. I would rather be a manager, though.

FakeCyrus: Why’s that?

MissMia: Honestly, I’m a bit of a wimp and can take a bump and work the ring, but that crap hurts. I always enjoyed doing promos and commentary. I’m rather good on the mic and used to manage a few wrestlers a while back. I represented several local guys and girls because we live in a shit hole area and the opportunity to make it big is not very promising. It was nice helping people reach their dreams, so I upped my game and get my degree in communications to go further with that. I wasn’t delusional to believe I would be a star someday. Helping others reach their goals behind the scenes has been the next best thing.

FakeCyrus: Do you have any videos of your work?

MissMia: Lol O.M.G. Tragically, yes. On my YouTube channel. Some videos of me singing are on there too. If you can find it… good luck.

FakeCyrus: What? You won’t send me a link?

MissMia: No way, buddy. Work for it. I would ask you what your ring name is, but you will say Cyrus the Crusher.

FakeCyrus: Well, it is. What do you want me to say? I guess I’ll just have to prove it to you then.

Mia rolled her eyes with a giggle. The man was consistent. Maybe it was time to call his bluff.

MissMia: Yep. Until Cyrus Evans walks into my salon with roses and asks me on a proper date, I won’t fall for it. Since the chance of that is zero-to-none, I’ll just settle for talking to you online. At least until you tell me your real name.

FakeCyrus: Well, I may just have to do that. Where’s your salon?

MissMia: Dude, you’re never going to give up, are you? Look it up yourself. I won’t make it easy for you to be a super creepy stalker guy. If you want to meet me, then I’m going to make you work for it.

FakeCyrus: What if I am not Cyrus and I am a fat old dude with cats?

MissMia: Then we will have coffee, chat, and I will be nice. Bring your cutest cat so I can pet him for trying to trick me. Cute kitties are worth the trouble and don’t forget the flowers.

FakeCyrus: So, I guess your new nickname is officially going to be flower then.

MissMia: Seriously, if you don’t stalk me and are not creepy, we can be friends, regardless of who you are. Everyone needs people to talk to. Even old guys. That doesn’t mean I would date someone I’m not interested in. I know what it’s like to feel lonely. Everyone can use a friend.

Cyrus took a deep breath. Lonely. He knew that feeling. He adjusted in his bed, pulling up the blankets. The word was like a dagger in his heart that kept repeating. He knew lonely all too well.

FakeCyrus: Are you lonely, my flower?

Mia sat with a long pause. Who would she answer that? It was something she had never confessed to anyone.

MissMia: Yes. Sometimes.

After a long pause she corrected herself.

Miss Mia: No… all the time.

FakeCyrus: You don’t have to be. If I were your type, would you let me try to get to know you better?

MissMia: I am sure by what you already know of me, you know my type. I guess I would have to meet you to know if that was in the cards or not.

FakeCyrus: Gym rats? Wrestlers? Specifically, Cyrus?

MissMia: Yep. Hot body wrestler types with a nice smile that can make me laugh.

FakeCyrus: Flower. Can I ask you something?”

MissMia: Sure.

FakeCyrus: Do Cyrus’ scars bother you? Most women think it’s gross.

Her long pause made his heart drop into his stomach. He thought maybe she didn’t like the scars.

Suddenly a photo popped up on the screen. An image of his face turned to the side. She enhanced the scare with digital art, making it look like an angel wing. Cyrus never noticed it before. His scar looked like a wing.

MissMia: I think it’s beautiful. Can I tell you a secret?

Cyrus tried to catch his breath as he typed with shaky fingers. This girl was everything he hoped she’d be. She didn’t see him as a monster that he thought himself to be.

FakeCyrus: Sure.

MissMia: He’s my angel. Do you think it’s crazy to fall for someone you may never meet in person?

Cyrus smiled at the thought. He was doing that very thing.

FakeCyrus: We can find romance in the strangest of places, Miss Mia. Look at my situation. I think I’m falling for a girl I met online.

MissMia: I’m getting sleepy.

Avoiding the comment, she knew what he had just implied. She too was feeling drawn to him but couldn't explain why. Maybe it was all the time she spent imagining it was the real Cyrus she was talking to.

Cyrus knew he may have gone too far, but it was worth it to get it off his chest.

FakeCyrus: All right, goodnight beautiful, Mia. My flower.

MissMia: Goodnight, Fake C. Hug the cats for me.

-----

Author Note: Isn't Cyrus just the sweetest. What do you think of Cy and his secret online crush?