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⎯ THE MUSE

JOAN SAT ON THE WORN WOODEN PORCH OF JACOB'S HOUSE, sketchbook in hand, watching as the late afternoon sun painted the sky in shades of pink and gold. She had come out to enjoy the peacefulness of the moment, to quiet her mind after the strange encounter with Paul and the tension that had followed him. Bella was inside, talking to Jacob, but Joan had started to notice something unsettling: Jacob was more withdrawn these past few days. Joan couldn't help but feel a bit of the unease that radiated from him, even if he tried to hide it.

A loud rev of an engine broke her thoughts. Joan looked up to see Bella and Jacob both standing next to the dirt bikes, their expressions eager as they prepped for a ride. Joan couldn't help but smile. She was used to Bella's reluctance with anything adventurous, but with Jacob around, things seemed to change.

"Joan, you should come with us!" Bella called out, her voice enthusiastic despite the concern that still lingered in her eyes. "Come on, you don't have to do anything crazy—just a short ride."

Joan hesitated. She wasn't as fond of the idea of dirt biking as Bella seemed to be, but it wasn't the worst way to spend the afternoon. Besides, she didn't want to seem like she was shying away from everything they'd been doing together.

"I don't know," Joan replied, standing up and dusting off her jeans. "I'm not sure I'm ready to go tearing through the woods on one of those things."

Jacob grinned at her, his expression relaxed. "It's not like we're going off a cliff or anything. Just a casual ride. You can keep up."

"Yeah, right," Joan teased, a small smile tugging at her lips. "You two go ahead, I'll stay here and draw some more."

Bella gave her a look, a playful pout on her face. "You're missing out! But fine, if you're sure."

Joan watched as Jacob and Bella hopped onto their respective bikes, Jacob revving the engine to life. He glanced back at her, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "We won't be long. Don't get too bored without us."

"I'll survive," Joan called back, raising an eyebrow.

As Bella and Jacob disappeared into the woods, Joan settled back down on the porch, trying to focus on her sketchbook. But her thoughts drifted again, this time to the growing unease that had settled deep in her chest over the past few days. She tried to shake it off, but there was no denying that things had become more complicated between her, Jacob, and the other boys. Especially Paul. Joan couldn't quite figure out why he was so different, so distant. She'd never seen Jacob act like this, and it made her more anxious than she cared to admit. Before long, she heard a sound that made her freeze. It was the unmistakable sound of a motorcycle engine revving.

Her heart skipped a beat. Bella.

Joan was on her feet before she even realized it, running toward the sound of the bike. She could hear Bella laughing, the high-pitched sound cutting through the forest.

But then, suddenly, the laughter stopped. There was a harsh screech of brakes, followed by a crash.

Joan's heart seized as she sprinted in the direction of the sound, panic rising in her chest.

By the time Joan reached the clearing, Bella was lying on the ground, groaning softly as Jacob knelt beside her, his hand on her forehead, his face pale.

"Bella?" Joan asked urgently, rushing to her side.

Bella blinked up at her, her face flushed, but her expression was dazed. "I... I hit my head."