The musky smell of roasted beans hangs in warm air, suiting the cozy atmosphere of the coffee shop. An illuminated green mermaid glows brightly outside the window, the morning sun streaming through the glass as customers file in. The long serving counter stretches endlessly along the side of the wall are topped with bright displays filled with delicate pastries and comfort treats, and a huge chalkboard lies behind it, the names of today’s drink specials hastily scrawled in bubbled handwriting.

A female employee stands stagnantly behind the till, her chubby fingers flying across the keypad of the register as she deals with the morning rush of customers, boredom clear on her face. She barks orders at the young boy boy behind her, tufts of blond hair sticking out haphazardly beneath his lopsided employee-issued green cap. Visible distress is splashed across his face as he fumbles with the coffee machine, pressing buttons in the desperate hope that one of them will begin the stream of that revered gift from the Gods - caffeine.

A mother stands waiting for her drink, her twin children clinging to her legs like monkeys on a tree trunk. Purple bags lurk under her bloodshot eyes as the two kids pull against her, wailing like banshees. She finally lets out a dejected sigh, before reaching into her purse to pull out two bright orange suckers. The kids immediately stop crying, and instead turn their round cherubic faces look up to their mother with barely concealed reverence, delight bursting through their round eyes as she hands over the candy. The faint, rhythmic beat of sucking commences just as the mother is finally handed her vanilla bean latte - it seems the young barista finally figured it out.

Suddenly a screech of rage punctures the coffee shops gentle hum. A blonde haired woman stands atop a pair of impossibly high stiletto heels in a tight black business dress, her tightly cinched belt accentuating her enviable figure. A trendy designer briefcase is featured on her slim toned arm, a beeping cell phone resting in the palm of her hand. In her other hand, she holds a cup. She’s engaged in a one-sided shouting match with the unemotive woman at the till, snarling that she ordered a skinny venti triple-shot caramel macchiato with soy milk - all while baring her pearly white teeth and curling her bright red lips, like a viper ready to strike.

On the opposite side of the room, the freckled, red-headed college student lifts his head to see what all the commotion is about - his eyes instantly find the corporate barbie. He watches as she turns away from the till with a disdainful flick of her hair, and his eyes can’t help but remain transfixed on her derriere as she struts past him like the next Candice Swanepoel, administering yet another tongue lashing to the unfortunate individual on the other end of her call. Reluctantly tearing his gaze away, he turns back to the endless stack of dusty textbooks that are strewn haphazardly across his table. Praying the caffeine is the key to dispelling the stress that’s puncturing his concentration, he takes a final sip of his fifth espresso, gulping down the bitter taste with a grimace. With a groan, he rises to go order another.

Tucked away in a corner sits a girl with books of a very different kind - enjoyable ones. The girl’s mousy brown hair is pulled into a haphazard bun, and her wide-framed glasses slip down her face as she reads Pride and Prejudice for yet another time. A pot of lavender-infused green tea cools gently beside her, the delicate fragrances wafting into her cloud of literary bliss.

Just another day at the coffee shop.