They are a cluster of ordinary professionals and students, passing hookah pipes to each other, as they sip coffee, banter and glance at their smartphones.
The circumstances under which they know each other are bittersweet. They are members of an underground network of former Muslims across Australia, caught between secularism and Islam. Some fear persecution if their loss of faith is discovered, some fear for their lives.
Melbourne local Aisha* is one of more than 70 members of the network spread across the country.
Aisha was cut off from her family three years ago when things took a dark turn after she removed her hijab.
"I never actually told my parents I was an ex-Muslim because I was scared of their reaction," she said.
"The most that happened was when I took my hijab off, one of my friends put a photo on Facebook and my parents ended up seeing it.
"They were pretty upset and said I was obviously just a whore who would end up dead in the gutters."
She said her parents, whom she described as "moderate, even liberal", turned physically violent and police got involved.
Aisha, in her 20s, was forced to move out of the family home.
"My parents were claiming I was a compulsive liar."
Her identity has been protected because she is still afraid of possible consequences, like most people in this network.
"When you think about it, over a billion people still follow Islam. If it brings them comfort let it bring them comfort. I think the issue is when it starts to infringe on our right to live," Aisha said.
The members we met recounted stories of either being disowned by family, forced into silence, shamed or demonised by community leaders and clerics, and having to pretend they were Muslim to avoid issues.
The abuse can be psychological, verbal, physical, and also financial for those who are dependent.
For many Australians, it is not unusual to be casually open about their atheism or agnosticism. Thirty per cent of Australians described themselves as having "no religion" in the 2016 census.
But it is different for many who have been raised Muslim.
In the last census by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, ex-Muslims in the secret group still embedded in their communities chose Islam as their religion because answering the census was a household activity.
Group members who spoke exclusively to the ABC said they led double lives and were afraid of "coming out". Many maintain a Muslim exterior at home, at work, in their communities, and at mosques.
Nadia*, another network member based in Melbourne wore a niqab — the face veil — when she was practising.
She runs an anonymous blog called Nullifidian, where she writes about her experiences being home schooled and raised in a strict Muslim household.
Nadia, in her 20s and also ostracised from family, covers her hair and most of her face in online videos in order to remain disguised and anonymous.
She told the ABC Australian ex-Muslims had a simple wish.
"Ex-Muslims just want to live their life how they need to without fearing disownment, isolation, imprisonment or death," she said.
In one blog post, she explained: "I choose to remain anonymous online because although I live in a western country, I have endured so much abuse and threats from the Muslim community where I live.
"I also choose to remain anonymous because I have previously been doxxed by Muslims who went as far as to try and get me fired by contacting my workplace."
INFOGRAPHIC: Melbourne woman Aisha is an ex-Muslim who wants to remain anonymous to avoid possible backlash and abuse. (ABC News: Matthew Abbott)
