Cake Cafe

CHAPTER ONE.

"It was love at first sight, at last sight, at ever and ever sight."
                                        ―Vladimir Nabokov

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HIDAAYA

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As a teacher in her prime, I believe that continous research and study is the key to continous excellence in teaching. You cannot give what you don't have. So I've got to have it before I give it. The good thing is, I'm a mad lover of anything that has pages, ready to dive into that ocean and see if its worth the swim or not. And for that reason, If I got lost anywhere, one could look at the bookstores in the state and would surely find me in one of them.

Bookstores are my favorite places to be but this one just topped the list of my most favorite bookstores. The place felt like a haven to me. Rows and rows of books and magazines and even some paintings and sculptures.

The place was a two storey building, the first floor was the cafe with beautiful brown tables and chairs arranged in the spacious room. When we came in there was a song playing from somewhere inside the room but I couldn't point out where exactly. There was a long chaise lounge sitting by the left wall and a long thick table in front of it and the rest of the chairs and tables were arranged all around. And then there was the counter, showcasing different designs and flavors of cakes and doughnuts, breads and samosas and different teas and coffees and drinks.

All the walls were painted a very light shade of green that almost looked white and flowers were arranged beautiful. The different shades of brown of the furnitures added an almost homey feeling to the place and I just loved it.

I was there with my friend, Amira, and we were both in love with the first floor already. But if this felt like love, what did...?

Amira and I hurried to the staircase that led to the second floor. And fourteen steps later, ohh-la-la I fell dangerously, very wholly, in love with the bookstore.

"What is this beauty? Oh my Allah." Amira said, our arms linked together.

"Amy, abeg, if they have vacancies let's apply for job here now." I replied.

Both our jaws hanged open. The second floor of the Cake Cafe & Bookstore building was the "bookstore". There were long beautiful rows and rows of bookshelves, each with it's genre carved at the top of the shelves. They were romance, fantasy, thriller, mystery, crime, historical romance, paranormal and adventure. And then there was another shelf that had The Classics carved at the top, another had Religion and another had Magazines and Others carved at the top.

The place was so spacious, only the left side held all these shelves. The right side of the floor had chairs and tables, a few desktops and two long couches arranged and water dispensers by the side. The walls of this floor were painted pale pink and white with art frames hanging on them. Potted plants were artfully scattered about, adding to the beauty of the beautiful setting.

I and Amira just couldn't stop staring and smiling and wowing. We walked to the shelf that had the Classics.

"Oh my God, Lord of the rings, Harry Potter, The Hobbit and damn I do hope they have those vacancies." Amy fanned herself with her hand dramatically as she said that.

"Ameeen sister."

At the far end of the room, there were a number of paintings and calligraphies arranged on a table.
Amira and I walked around the whole place two more times, oohing and aaahing when we come across books by authors that we know, love or are familiar with.