Isabella and Sarah pulled up to the storefront of Isabella's library store, the last rays of the setting sun casting a warm glow across the building's facade. As they stepped out of the car, Sarah rubbed her feet and stretched her legs, grateful to finally be out of the cramped vehicle.
Isabella fished for her keys in her bag, but hesitated before unlocking the door. She knew that Azazel had been in a foul mood earlier, and she couldn't shake the feeling that he might still be inside. She silently prayed that he had left, not wanting to deal with his explosive temper.
Sarah noticed Isabella's hesitation and snapped at her impatiently. "Come on, Isabella, open the door already. My feet are killing me." Isabella forced a smile, trying to hide her worries as she inserted the key and turned the lock.
The door creaked open, revealing the dimly lit interior of the library store. The scent of old books and parchment filled their nostrils, a familiar and comforting aroma to both women. They stepped inside, their footsteps echoing softly on the wooden floorboards.
Isabella scanned the room, her eyes darting from shelf to shelf as she searched for any sign of Azazel. The store was quiet, She exhaled softly, relieved to find that Azazel wasn't there.
Sarah, meanwhile, made a beeline for the nearest chair, sinking down with a grateful sigh. Isabella chuckled softly, knowing all too well how much Sarah hated being on her feet for too long.
Isabella walked towards the shelves, running her fingers over the spines of the books as she searched for any that might provide insight into Azazel's curse. Her heart raced as she thought about the possibility of finally finding a way to break the curse and be free from Azazel's grip. As she scanned the shelves, a particular book caught her eye, and she eagerly pulled it out.
It was an old and worn book, with a faded cover and yellowed pages. Isabella delicately flipped through the pages, careful not to damage the fragile book. She was surprised to find that the book contained information on curses. She couldn't believe her luck. She quickly made a mental note of the pages she needed to read and headed towards the counter to begin her research.
As she sat down behind the counter, she lost herself in the book. She was so engrossed that she didn't even notice the customers coming in and out of the store. Sarah, who had been watching Isabella with amusement, noticed a customer coming to the counter, looking for a recommendation.
"Excuse me, can you recommend a book for me?" the customer asked.
Sarah smiled politely and replied, "Of course, follow me."
She led the customer to the shelves and began to suggest some titles. Meanwhile, Isabella was too deep in thought to notice the conversation. It wasn't until Sarah had finished helping the customer and returned to the counter that Isabella snapped out of her reverie.
"I'm sorry, Sarah, did you need help with something?" Isabella asked, finally noticing her friend standing at the counter.
Sarah chuckled. "No, you seemed a little preoccupied. Is everything okay?". Isabella smiled and then nodded.
Sarah was surprised to see her so absorbed in the book and decided to let her be. As more customers came in and out of the store, Sarah attended to them, leaving Isabella to her research.
Hours passed by, with Isabella completely lost in her own world of curses and spells. She had taken numerous notes and even started sketching diagrams in her notebook.
Isabella let out a heavy sigh as she shut the book, frustrated that it didn't contain the information she was searching for. She ran her fingers through her hair, feeling a bit defeated. The book only spoke of Grimstone and how he was the one who cursed Azazel, putting him in a deep slumber for 10,000 years. Isabella wondered if she should continue her research on Grimstone and find out more about him.
As she raised her head, she noticed that it was already getting late, and Sarah was still attending to the customers. Isabella got up from her seat and walked over to Sarah. "I'm sorry, I was so caught up in my research that I didn't notice the time. Do you need any help?"
Sarah smiled gratefully at her friend. "Yes, please. There are still a few customers looking for recommendations. Can you help them while I finish up with this one?"
"Of course," Isabella said, making her way to the customer. She recommended a few books and helped him locate them on the shelves. As she assisted the other customers, Isabella's frustration over the lack of information in the book slowly faded away. She enjoyed interacting with the customers and helping them find the perfect book to read.
Finally, all the customers had been attended to, and the bookstore was empty except for Isabella and Sarah. Isabella yawned, feeling exhausted from the long day. "I think it's time to close up shop for the day," she said.
Sarah nodded in agreement. "Let's tidy up and head out." Together, they began to tidy up the bookstore, putting away the books and straightening up the shelves. As they locked up the store and headed out, Isabella couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. While she didn't find the information she was looking for, she was happy to have helped so many people find the books they needed.
As they got out, Isabella was taken aback when she saw Azazel waiting for her outside the bookstore. She exchanged a surprised look with Sarah, who hugged her tightly before waving goodbye to both of them. Isabella expected Azazel to leave her alone, but to her astonishment, he called out to her, his voice filled with determination.
"Let's go," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. Isabella tried to ignore him, hoping to distance herself from his presence. She headed towards her car, intending to leave Azazel behind. However, her surprise grew when she opened the car door and found him already seated.
Her heart skipped a beat as she reminded herself that Azazel wasn't human. His ability to appear wherever he pleased, defying conventional means, was a reminder of his supernatural nature.
"Why are you here?" she asked, her voice tinged with a mix of frustration and curiosity. Azazel looked at her for a while and ignored her.
Isabella couldn't contain her frustration as Azazel continued to ignore her questions. She clenched her fists, ready to confront him, but a small voice inside her urged her to let it go. Taking a deep breath, she decided to hold her anger and avoid another pointless fight.
Silently seething, Isabella got into her car and drove home, her mind still reeling from the unanswered questions and Azazel's dismissive behavior. As she approached her parking spot, a sudden jolt shook her vehicle from behind. Startled, she parked her car and turned to see a car had bumped into hers.
Anger surged within her, fueling the fire that had already been burning. Isabella swiftly exited her car, storming towards the driver's side of the vehicle that had collided with hers. She knocked on the window, demanding the driver to come out.
Reluctantly, the driver opened the door, his arrogant demeanor evident on his face. Isabella's patience waned as she stared at him, her voice laced with frustration. "You need to fix my car," she demanded, her tone firm.
With a dismissive gesture, the driver reached into his pocket and casually tossed a dollar note at her. "This should fix your car," he said callously, without a hint of remorse or apology.
Isabella's anger boiled over, her temper reaching its peak. She gritted her teeth, ready to engage in a heated argument with the careless driver. However, before she could utter another word, Azazel, who had been observing the situation from the car, got weary of their banter.
He stepped out of the vehicle, his presence commanding attention. Isabella looked at him with a glimmer of hope, hoping that he would come to her aid and confront the driver. However, much to her dismay, Azazel simply ignored them and started walking towards Isabella's apartment.
Isabella's frustration deepened, her anger directed towards Azazel for once again dismissing her and leaving her to deal with the situation alone. The heated argument with the driver momentarily forgotten, she watched as Azazel walked away, his indifference piercing her heart.
Determined not to let the moment escalate further, Isabella took a deep breath, refocusing her attention on the matter at hand. She turned back to the driver, her voice now calm but resolute. "We're not finished here," she said, her eyes burning with determination. "You will take responsibility for this, one way or another."
As the argument resumed, Isabella's determination grew stronger. Though disappointed by Azazel's actions, she refused to let them hinder her pursuit of justice. With her head held high, she vowed to deal with the careless driver.