REX enters, 30s, muscular, wearing a tank top and cutoff jeans. He sneaks up behind the bench, watches Anna for a moment, then reaches carefully around her middle and tickles her. Anna breaks out of her pose, squealing with laughter.

ANNA
Jesus Christ!

REX
You shouldn't do that here. You could get accosted.

ANNA
I wish. You're late.

REX
Places to see, people to do. You're sweating like a pig.

ANNA
Nice. Very nice. Girls like to hear they're pretty, not sweaty.

REX
You don't like to hear you're pretty.

ANNA
I like to hear it.

REX
You just don't believe it.

ANNA
Oh, break out the psych degree on me. (She lies down on the bench.) Tell me, Dr. Freud, what'd my Mom do to make me this way?

REX
Put you in that stupid jogging suit for one thing.

(Rex crosses L of bench, nudges Anna over. She sits back up.)

ANNA
Ha. Ha. I almost peed myself.

REX
I'm not into that.

ANNA
Please. I don't want to hear what you're "into" today.

REX
Don't you?

ANNA
I want a progress report, not porno...and it's not called a "jogging suit." You're so seventies.

REX
Amazing I can get around. And it's eighties, thanks.

ANNA
Whatever. Old is old.

REX
What's it called, then?

ANNA
What?

REX
Your clothes.

ANNA
A workout ensemble.

REX
Ah. Were you working out?

ANNA
Not at this very moment, no. I was waiting for you.

REX
And here I am.

ANNA
Yeah. Here you are. So...?

REX
No dice.

ANNA
Aw, shit.

REX
Almost, but I pulled out at the last minute.

ANNA
You "pulled out"? I didn't think it worked that way.

REX
Ha. I almost peed myself.

ANNA
I'm not gonna keep meeting you like this if you're rude to me.

REX
Yes you will.

ANNA
Yeah, I will. So what went wrong?

REX
He wasn't my type, that's all. His picture was at least five years old. I hate it when they lie.

ANNA
So what? You've done ugly guys before.

REX
He's not ugly.

ANNA
I don't get it, then.

REX
He just wasn't the one. I need him to be the one.

ANNA
What, you're getting picky now? I'm disappointed.

REX
Like you've been better than me.

ANNA
I stuck to the plan today.

REX
Today.

ANNA
One day at a time. Isn't that what the AA people say? Today, I was very good.

REX
No cheating?

ANNA
(Stands up and takes a tai chi stance.)
One of the girls said that yoga helps. So I borrowed my Mom's yoga DVD and learned some moves. It's very relaxing. Keeps your mind off of everything. (She takes an exaggerated deep breath.) Deep breathing, too.

REX
That helped?

ANNA
I read once that there are these people? Monks, or something. They live on air. (Breathes again.) Nothing but air.

REX
You shouldn't believe everything you read on the internet.

ANNA
Like you're one to talk. You ended up with a skank because he put up a fake picture on the internet.

REX
Not fake, just old. It was the same guy.

ANNA
What was he, like, sixty or something?

REX
No.

ANNA
He got into a car accident. His face is all disfigured.

REX
He has a very nice face.

ANNA
(Sits down.)
You told me you liked nice faces. So what's the problem?

REX
(Stands up. He paces in front of the bench.)
So you were good today?

ANNA
The best. Mom didn't know a thing. She's (Put's on a "Mom voice") "very happy, Anna. Very happy."

REX
Do you like it when your Mom is happy?

ANNA
What are you, writing a paper or something? I'm not a lab rat, you know.

REX
Sorry, Miss I-Don't-Ask-Questions.

ANNA
(Rises. Stands next to Rex.)
You're interesting.

REX
And you're not?

ANNA
I'm totally normal. You're warped.

REX
Thanks.

ANNA
I like warped.
(Rex crosses behind Anna and holds her arms out in a ballet pose. Anna tries to go en pointe, but fails.)

REX
We're both warped. You know that, don't you?

ANNA
(Leans back into Rex's arms.)
Can you pick me up?

(Rex does so, with no difficulty. He spins Anna in a circle. She giggles.)

REX
You're as light as a feather.

ANNA
(Struggling out of his grip.)
I'm not and you know it. I'm a fat pig. I lied. I cheated today.

REX
How?

ANNA
Half a Hershey Bar. I threw it up, but it was at least twenty minutes later.

REX
That's not very long--

ANNA
Do you know how many calories there are in a Hershey Bar? I'm never going to be able to do this. The other girls, they can do it with no problem. I'm weak.

REX
(Steps back behind Anna and puts his arms around her.)
You had a moment of weakness. You're not weak. I'm weak. I shouldn't have stopped today.

ANNA
But if he wasn't the one--

REX
He was perfect. He was exactly what I needed.

ANNA
Then what--?

REX
He had spots.

ANNA
Spots?

REX
All over his legs; going up his torso...

ANNA
Gross! You were right to--

REX
No, he was perfect. I knew he wasn't lying.

ANNA
But he wasn't the one.

REX
How can I know who's the one anyway? Everybody lies.

ANNA
I don't lie to you. (Pause.) Well, I won't, anymore.

REX
I can tell when you're lying, anyway. Why couldn't you be a man?

ANNA
I wouldn't want to be a man. I'd want to be a boy.

REX
(Hugging her tighter)
If you were a boy, I'd be arrested for holding you like this.

ANNA
Yeah. But boys don't have big fat hips or sagging butts.

REX
Neither do you. I can feel your ribs.

ANNA
None of that shit. You have to follow the rules.

REX
I know. I worry, though.

ANNA
Worry about keeping me away from Hershey Bars, then.

REX
(Releases Anna and turns her to face him.)
I mean it.

ANNA
You made the rules. You can't break them.

REX
I know.

ANNA
If I'm gonna support you, you gotta support me.

REX
Yes.

ANNA
Don't you let me down!

REX
No. I won't. I promise.

ANNA
(Takes Rex's hand and leads him to the bench.)
What scared you?

REX
I don't want to talk about it.

ANNA
Honey, who else are you gonna talk about it with?

(Rex pauses. He looks down at their intertwined hands.)

REX
Your hands are so fragile.

ANNA
Rex.

REX
Like a bird's.

ANNA
Rex!

REX
It wasn't what I thought it would be. He was sick. Late stage.

ANNA
Then you'd know.

REX
Yeah, I'd know.

ANNA
Isn't that what you want?

REX
Why did you eat that Hershey Bar?

ANNA
I was hungry.

REX
I was scared.

ANNA
Yeah. Yeah, I know. I'm scared, too.

REX
We're really fucked up, Anna.

ANNA
I can't stop, babe. I need to be light.

REX
So do I.

ANNA
I want to live on the air. Nothing else but air. Someday, a stiff wind will pick me up and I'll just float away...

REX
Promise you'll take me with you.

ANNA
I promise that every time. But I can't do it by myself.

REX
I'm a coward.

ANNA
Me too.

REX
You're stronger than me. After the last test was negative, I wanted to give up.

ANNA
Almost doesn't count. I almost ate pot roast last night.

REX
You hate pot roast.

ANNA
But the smell...oh, Rex. It was almost impossible to resist.

REX
But you did.

ANNA
Yes. And next time, you'll ignore the spots. Or the meds in the cabinet.

REX
He doesn't have to be "the one." I have you.

ANNA
And I have you.

REX
I love you Anna. I've loved you since the first time I stumbled across your webpage.

(Anna leans in. She looks deeply into Rex's eyes. Slowly, tentatively, she gives him a short, bird-like peck on the lips.)

ANNA
I love you, too.

REX
We're so fucked up.

ANNA
No, honey. We're angels. We just want to fly.

(Rex stands, pulling Anna up with him. He grabs her by the waist and lifts her into the air. Anna spreads her arms like a bird's wings.)

REX
You'll fly, my love. You're almost there.

ANNA
We're both almost there.

LIGHTS FADE as Rex spins Anna around in a slow circle.

CURTAIN