Secrets are hard to keep

By the sound of it, Cassie had talked to her dad, who was trying to contact Hank and Hope, and from there they’d figure out the best way to get Jentorra back to the quantum realm - which, more than likely, would mean them sending a car, and driving her all the way from Cassie’s college back to San Francisco, where the portal was.

Cassie had stammered through an explanation of ‘Oh, and Jentorra’s naked, and can’t wear any clothes from this world,’ while Jentorra continued to hide in the bathroom.

And then the day had resumed. Cassie had offered something called a kindle for Jentorra to entertain herself, Jentorra had braved the unknown shower, and was air-drying by herself while reading something called ‘Fantastic Voyage.’

After the initial exposure of her arrival in this realm, for as naked as she was, her time here was more tedious and dull than actively embarrassing. Close quarters with Cassie, and her repeated ‘Huh. Abs,’ could be a little awkward, but it could be worse.

So long as the next few days were like that, before she could be taken back home, she could handle it. So long as-

“Cassie?”

The door was flung open, to reveal a dark-haired girl, who after just a step was in front of the open bathroom door and eye-to-eye with the naked Jentorra.

Jentorra flushed, and quickly lifted her arms, trying to hide. The girl blinked.

“You’re not Cassie,” she said, eventually.

“No,” Jentorra said.

There was a pause. The stranger regarded her. Jentorra squirmed, wishing she could actually grab the towel.

“Where’s Cassie?” the woman said, eventually.

“Class,” Jentorra said.

“And you’re waiting naked in her room because?”

Jentorra hesitated. The impression she’d gotten was that most people in this world didn’t know about the quantum realm. Her silence just made the woman shrug.

“Huh. Sure,” she said. “Not the biggest surprise in the world to be honest. Tell her I’ll catch her later.”

Jentorra blinked. The stranger backed away, leaving the flushed Jentorra behind.

Awkwardly, Jentorra sat back down, waiting for the heat in her cheeks to diminish. Great, another stranger, all she needed. And apparently Cassie’s friends had keys to get into her room.

After a few minutes, she tried to get back to reading, alternating between the book and a mild work-out to fill time. Then she heard voices.

“I’m telling you, Lang’s got a girl in her room!”

“Cassie never mentioned anyone.”

“Trust me. Stark naked, for real.”

Jentorra heard the door, and flinched. Cassie’s room door was flung open, and the same woman as before came into view, next to another stranger. Jentorra hastily crossed her arms.

“Wow, still naked,” one said.

Jentorra flushed.

“Er, hi?” one said. “Do you have a name?”

“Of course she has a name, Kate,” the other said. “Everyone has a name.”

“Jen- Jen,” Jentorra began, faltering.

‘Jentorra’ probably wasn’t a common name up here, if they had weird names like Cassie and Scott. She did have a soft spot for the diminutive Cassie sometimes used, though.

“Hi Jen!” ‘Kate’ said.

Behind her, her friend was looking around Cassie’s room.

“I don’t see a change of clothes,” she said. “Wait. Did you _come _here naked?”

“Um. Yes?” Jentorra said.

“Bold,” the other said, whistling appreciatively.

Jentorra adjusted her arms. When one’s eyes darted down, she quickly covered her crotch with her hand. How was she meant to know what the norms were in this world? If there even was an excuse for her situation, she didn’t have the context to give it.

All she had was ‘Freedom fighter from another realm.’ She wasn’t sure they’d buy that.

“Hey, you should come meet the house,” one said. “If you’re with Cassie, we’re probably going to be hanging out, huh?”

“No,” Jentorra said.

“Oh, don’t tell me you’re shy, especially not dressed like that,” she said.

She reached in, grabbing Jentorra’s arm, catching her by surprise; Jentorra stumbled forwards, instinctively moving with her sudden-opponent’s weight in a move that was halfway to being a throw.

She kept herself from going through with the attack, sensing Cassie might not take it well if she ended up concussing one of her friends. Unfortunately, that left Jentorra outside the bathroom, on the carpeted floor that was already starting to feel like pins and needles, too alien for her system to handle.

She snatched her arm back from the stranger, covering her chest too late. The woman blinked.

“Impressive biceps. You’ve got to give me your work out routine,” she said.

Jentorra bounced from foot to foot, not remotely comfortable there. Barging through the two women seemed hard to do, especially without hurting them - and she was by the door out of Cassie’s room, looking out onto the open building interior. All carpeted, stretching out, identical doors no doubt leading to identical dorms.

She couldn’t stand here, she didn’t want to start fighting Cassie’s friends, that left-

She could see one more blank floor, smooth and unmarred by the carpet that hurt her. Maybe that room was as quiet as the bathroom was? Cassie seemed shy going in there, hopefully…

She’d fought Kang’s armies for years. Now she was streaking through a college.

“Hey, maybe she’s not comfortable being outside in- oh, well, there she goes,” Kate said. She raised an eyebrow, watching as Jentorra took off. “Right for the kitchen too. Wow, she is confident.”

“Wouldn’t you be with an ass like that?” her friend said. “Besides, no one stopped her grabbing a towel or robe, or literally anything. Cassie sure knows how to pick em, huh?”

“Well, you did want to introduce her to the rest of the house,” Kate said. She shrugged, stepping out, the door to Cassie’s room locking behind her. “Guess she’s on her way.”