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'in which you exchange words on a bench'

You tap your index finger on the wooden table. You were alone. Just you, a table, and some chairs. You wonder where you've seen this situation before. At least this time you had your half-dead plant.

The plant definitely raised some eyebrows from the dwindling group of States. You didn't pay it much mind though. It was just a plant, after all. If they truly had an issue with it, they could say so. But they didn't, so the plant remains.

You blow out a breath of air, resting your forehead on the cold wooden table. This room, at least was larger than the one you were held in when you first arrived at this office building. It was still painfully empty and bland, and the bright white coating of the walls along with the fluorescent lights were beginning to give you a headache. That seems to be a consistent theme of this building. A massive headache.

You let out a sigh as you reach an arm out blindly across the table. Once your hand collides with the plastic container of the plant you let it lay limp. The rest of your body remarkably follows suit.

Maybe you were stressed. Just a little bit. Can anyone really blame you though? It's hardly been two days since you were swept off to who knows where, kept on what is essentially house arrest, and then managed to get into a situation where you threw a potted plant at the owner of said house. So yeah, you've been having a fun couple of days. So much fun. At least the sun was finally beginning to set, and you could put this hellhole of a day in the past.

You let your eyes fall shut. The moments that follow were blissful. No freezing cold, no paper shuffling. Simply silence. You could almost feel yourself drift off to sleep. Almost.

"[Name]?" At the quiet call of your name, you sit up glancing around the room. Your eyes squint as the light reenters your vision.

"Yeah...?"

"I didn't wake you up, did I?"

"No. I was just..." You let out a loud yawn, blinking a few times as the corners of your eyes water, "Laying there."

"Oh.. Kay..."

"So what did you want?" You blink at California. She pulls one of the rolling chairs out from the table, taking a seat in it. She glances around the room, letting her gaze linger on the open door. When her gaze falls from it, so does the rest of her body. She lays limply across the table as you had just moments ago.

The room was still. No sounds but your rhythmic breathing fills the room and you didn't dare disturb the silence. In fact, you take the moment to rest once more, even if it only gave you a few minutes.

"Do you... want to come outside with me for a minute?" California finally mutters out, causing you to look up at her. "There should still be a bit of daylight left..."

You only stare at her blankly. The first thing you take note of is the change of her hair. Not only was it hanging around her shoulders in a wavy mass, it had also become a stark white. Her face, confused at your silence, held a familiar flag.

"Uh..." You blink a few times, "Yeah we could go... I guess?"

"Alright," Her shoulders relax, and she sighs loudly, rubbing one of her temples "Let's go." She rises to her feet, and you follow shortly after.

You flex and unflex your hands as a chill washes over your body. Was it from exhaustion? Were you actually just cold? Likely it was some combination of both. You yawn loudly as you exit the office room.

During your short walk to the door California returns to her more human appearance. She haphazardly pulls her hair up into a low knot, pushing the exit door open with her hip. She slides out the door once there is room enough for her to fit through, leaving you to catch the heavy door to push it open for yourself.