Love At The Coral Reefs

Chapter 3

"Welcome to Winter Sea Hotel!" Elaine greeted with a smile on her face as six boys enter the glass doors. Ordinarily, as on of the co-owners of the hotel, she takes care of the top management but today, the hotel receptionist had a family issue so she stand in for the lady.

As Elaine gazed at the boys, she noticed that out of the six boys, the boy with the mahogany hair seemed to be looking around in search of something but she ignored it as they strode towards the receptionist desk.

"Hi, can we book a bungalow for today and tomorrow?" This time the tallest boy with a calm smile asked.

She nodded her head gently and took out the book for them to write down their details. After all of them came forwards to write their details down and show her their ICs, she immediately knew that were from rich families based on their last names and her hunch told her that, they might even go to the same school as her Eleanor.

The boy with the mahogany hair was still looking around in search when Elaine decided to ask, "Do you boys also attend Symphonic High School?"

"Yes we do!" This time a cheerful boy that looked cute answered her, causing her to warmly smile at him.

"My daughter attends the same school," She noticed that when she mentioned the word 'daughter', the mahogany haired boy's eyes snapped back towards her, his attention fixed on the next words she was about to speak. "Her name is Eleanor Winters, very quiet girl, too quiet sometimes..."

Thorn resisted the urge to correct Mrs Winters in front of him that Eleanor was a little fiesty girl and instead focused on smiling and nodding, as she told them about how her daughter was sweet and kind but too shy and how she got hurt in her ankle the first day of school. Which made guilt rise in his heart. He knew it was his fault.

Thorn knew the rest of the boys were sheepishly rubbing the necks and ruffling their hair as the lady in front of them spoke as if they were her long time friends. So he decided to throw caution to the wind.

"Hi Mrs Winters, my name is Thorn, the rest are Marshall, Simon, Carson, Terrius and Louis. I am Eleanor's desk mate...I don't see her around is she not here...?!" Thorn introduced, pointing at each of the other boys as they bow when their names were mentioned.

Elaine stood astounded at his introduction but she could not help squealing internally at the thought of a possible relationship between her little sweet girl and a possible bad boy type of young man. She made a mental note that this must not reach the ears of Eddie as she knew how overprotective he was of little Eleanor.

"Do you want to see her, I am sure she is around here with her friend Beatrice, they were doing work on the couch." She pointed towards the couch at the hotel lobby with a confounded expression. The six boys following her gaze as they spotted homework laid across the table but no sign of the girls mentioned.

Elaine was sure both the girls were giggling together a few minutes ago but 'where are they now.' She thought to herself.

Well, as soon as Eleanor saw the six males entering the hotel lobby, she was quick to grab a hold of Beatrice's hand and dug behind the couch, hiding from the eyes Thorn who seemed to be scanning around the lobby.

She immediately regretted that she promised to help her mom out at the hotel today.

She was debating whether she should go out and stop her mom when she heard her mom telling the boys about how she was a sweet kid and how she got hurt. Which she could not help but roll her eyes at, 'fancy Maa Maa talking about my swollen ankle to the preperator of the whole thing.'

Eleanor sucked in her breath and Beatrice quietened down beside her when she heard her mom talking about how the two girls were studying on the couch and she knew she had to go out there. Because hiding behind the couch was not a smart idea when they could clearly see them if they move to another angle.

So she did the bravest thing she could do and jumped up from behind the couch and started talking loudly to Beatrice, silently pleading for her smart friend to follow her lead.

"My goodness me, where did I drop the pen, is such a beautiful heart shaped pen, why can't we find it?" Acting oblivious to the obvious stares from the receptionist desk, Eleanor asked still looking around. She thought it was quite smart of her to come up with that kind of an excuse at a crucial moment.

Beatrice cleverly replied pretending to look about as well, "I don't know sis, maybe is under the couch, I think we can use a broom, let's go and find that broom shall we?"

Understanding the meaning that the other was talking about which was 'let's pretend to find a broom and escape from this ish'. Eleanor happily agreed turning their backs to the receptionist desk the two girls tried to bravely walk towards the door when her mom called her from the back.

Thorn held back a laugh as Eleanor turned around to face her mother. Her coming up with the excuse of the missing pen, when he already saw that the same heart shaped pen was on the table was genuinely a bit dumb of her to do. He also knew that if she thought that the rest of the boys did not notice, she was wrong as all of them were pursing their lips together trying not to look at each other, in fear that they will burst out laughing.

"Yes, Maa Maa, what can I do for you?" Eleanor asked smiling at her mom. 'Damn it, now I cannot escape!' At that moment, Eleanor really wanted to run outside without a care but she did not want to ignore her mom so she decided to stay with Beatrice also smiling awkwardly beside her.

"Well, come and meet your friends and your desk mate. You never told Maa Maa and Paa Paa they were such nice young men." Elaine warmly gestured at the boys who meekly smile at her, acting like the sweetest boys on Planet Earth.

The two girls who knew it was an act almost snorted out loud, but they act surprised instead. 'such nice young men, right more like such pretentious young men!' Resisiting the urge to roll her eyes proved difficult for Eleanor but she decided if they could act then she could too.

"Oh hi, I didn't know you guys were here!" Beatrice started which made Eleanor wanted to hide somewhere again as she saw the boys holding back their laughter as Beatrice pretended to only see them now.

Acting before her better judgement, Eleanor curiously asked her mom a question, "Maa Maa, I think is now time for Paa Paa's medicine, is it not? I can arrange the bungalow for them. Because I know Paa Paa drinks medicine only if you are the one who gives him."

This made Elaine smile bashfully like a teenage girl and she nodded towards her daughter, walking out of the receptionist desk and making her way towards her husband's office.

Thorn looked at the family dynamics and could not help feel a pang of jealously, his family will never be like this...

Eleanor was glad she knew the time her dad took medication, managing to use that excuse so that she could use this to ask her mom to go to her dad and finally have a talk with the males in front of her.

"Right, what is it that you want?" She was annoyed but she did not know what she was annoyed with. The rest of the boys and Beatrice looked on as the accused smiled innocently.

"Honestly..." Thorn started and Eleanor was ready to hear that he wanted to mess her life up but he just genuinely replied, "I just want the...keys to the bungalow. I am hungry and cannot wait for the barbeque..."

She almost blew her top when the prominent smirk of his appeared and she knew he was teasing her. But two could play this game, she smiled sickeningly sweet at them that she almost wanted to cringe at herself and made her way to the receptionist desk.

"Here are your keys, have a nice stay at Winters Sea Hotel, and I honestly hope you don't choke on your barbeque." Eleanor took out the keys and placed it harshly on the desk, refusing to laugh when Beatrice started coughing with laughter as she gaze at the priceless faces of the males in front of the desk.

Thorn was quick to recover as he twirled the keys around his fingers, "Awwwww...don't worry I won't choke, I will eat slowly alright..." Coming closer towards her ears, he whispered the word that made her blushed madly against her will even though it was just a petname, "Cupcake..."

Pushing himself back, he strode out with an unreadable expression, with the rest of the boys following behind him highly amused.

~~~

"Alright, all of you settle down." Mr Stone hit the table twice, everyone rushed to their seats and quickly fixed their attention back to the science teacher.

"There is going to be a pair work presentation next week..." With his words everyone look around excitedly trying to find their best friend but the next words of his stopped them, "I will chose your partners."

Some of the girls squeal and some groan they were all vying for either Thorn or one of his friends. The aforementioned was sitting beside Eleanor and had a straight face looking bored. She noticed he was being extra cold and aloof today, looking intimidatingly at everyone when he came into the class a few moments back.

"Calm down you lot, anyways Benjamin and Terrius, Simon and Henry..." Mr Stone read out, Eleanor was starting to feel that it was going to be alright and she was going to get paired with Beatrice but then, "Marshall and Beatrice, Thorn and Eleanor..."

She almost shouted at Mr Stone but then she decided not to as all the unwanted attention were already on her. The six girls were already glaring at her and some looking at her in jealously. 'I don't want him, why am I always stuck with him?' She silently gave up to fate.

"The project is on different types of sea creatures and studying on the spieces. Get along with your work." Mr Stone looked sternly at all of the students.

For the rest of the day, Thorn was silent next to Eleanor, focusing on the board rather than look at her but when it was lunch time and she stood up to go to the canteen.

He asked, "When and where do you want to do the pair work?"

She looked at him wondering why he was not teasing her today, not that she wanted it but he looked like he was not himself today. He looked tired and downcast. She instantly decided she did not like it when he is down.

"Are you okay?" Eleanor gently questioned, causing Thorn's eyebrows to raise questioningly back at her. 'Why would I even ask a question like that? It's not like we are friends or anything.'

"Sorry, I didn't mean…yeah I didn't mean to ask that," she spluttered out. "Anyways, you can chose…chose the meeting place."

He smiled, his eyes brimming with genuine happiness, he was glad that the girl paid enough attention to him and asked about his day.

'The first smile today' she noted, her chest overflowing with a warm sensation.

"Is fine, I didn't have a great morning back home. Let's meet at my dance studio on Saturday." He answered, a distant look flashing across his face then he took out a visiting card with his studio address and placed it on her table.

Eleanor knew about the Dance studio that Thorn and his friends opened together. They taught dance lessons every weekend and the place was always bustling with giggling girls and boys if what she heard at the school corridors were correct.

"Erm…would I be disrupting your work if it is a t the dance studio?" She mumbled, she let him chose the meeting place because he looked really upset but now she was regretting her decisions as she was not ready to see more glaring girls on the weekend.

He let out a soft laugh, knowing what she was worried about, "Nah, there are many practice rooms, we can do our work in my personal practice room. No screaming girls if that is what you are worried about!" He wiggle his eyebrows at Eleanor who sighed. 'Yep, the irritating Thorn was back!' But she could not help but feel a sense of relief to see him back to his teasing self.

"Then it is ok with me." She agreed, readying to work out of the class when he took out his phone and unlocked it, extending his arms outwards to her.

He stared back at him blankly when he spoke matter of factly, "I need your number to tell you the timing." She wanted to argue that he could tell her what time to meet now but then she decided against it.

Taking his phone in her hands, she press her number in and gave the phone back to him. "Is your phone switched on?" He questioned.

She nodded, walking out of the classroom with Beatrice grabbing onto her arm. Halfway across the corridor, she felt a buzzing in her pocket taking it out, she saw an unknown number. Picking it up she heard his one and only baritone voice, "Thank goodness is the right number! Do save my number." Then the call ended.

She was confused for a moment of how he knew that when she didn't even reply, but then the confusion went away when she could feel the presence of him and his friends behind her. 'Right, that i***t is smart, of course he was going to do this, Eleanor you need to buck up.' She scolded herself, picking up her speed to the canteen with a hurrying Beatrice beside her.