An Exclusive Excerpt from Hearts Alight

by Elliot Cooper

“Amit?” Dave called out as he pushed through the door from the back hallway to the break room.

The table and two of the chairs were upended on the floor next to Amit. Napkins and plastic cups littered the tile around him. He tried to push himself up from where he sat, one leg crooked under the other, but didn’t seem to have the strength. Amit’s chest heaved, as if he were struggling for every breath, and sweat plastered his hair across the side of his forehead.

“What happened? Are you okay?” Dave raced to his side and knelt, unsure what to do with his hands. He didn’t want to make things worse, but he didn’t know what to do to help, either. Did Amit have asthma? Maybe he had an inhaler nearby.

Amit reached out and gripped Dave’s arm, his fingers clammy. The scars across his forehead flashed with yellow-orange light. Dave blinked, disbelieving his own eyes, but then Amit gulped in heavy, less-labored breaths mixed with sighs of relief, and tricks of the light didn’t seem important.

“Thank God,” Amit muttered.

“Do you have asthma?” Dave asked, putting his hand on top of Amit’s. He still felt cooler than he should have, but Dave couldn’t be sure his own body temperature hadn’t elevated with his worry. And the three-quarters of a beer he’d drunk.

“No.” Amit shook his head. His voice still sounded rough, but it was clearer than earlier. “I’ll be okay. I think.”

“I wanted to tell you not to listen to that asshole. Taylor. He’s a real… He’s nothing to worry about.”

“Who?”

“That tall guy sitting with Jake.” Dave studied Amit’s confused expression and realized he must not have heard what Taylor had said after all. It had been his breathing problem that sent him rushing to the back. “Never mind. He said something rude about you when you…shouted over the music.”

“Oh.” Amit’s hand trailed down Dave’s arm, as if he wanted to let go but couldn’t, and rested at his wrist instead. The press of his fingers made Dave aware of his own pulse beating away, picking up speed with every moment they stared into one another’s eyes.

There were so many things Dave wanted to say. So many questions that maybe Amit would be willing to answer now that they were alone and he was interested in chatting. Had privacy, or a lack thereof, been the barrier all along? Or did it have something to do with Amit’s not-asthma?

“Are you sure you’re okay? I mean, health-wise.” Dave gestured with his free hand to the obvious mess Amit had made. He’d fallen down, maybe tried to get back up a few times on his own. It wasn’t a good sign. And it was even worse if he was trying to cover up some medical issue. Although Dave knew he wasn’t owed an explanation.

Amit took in a deep breath and followed Dave’s gaze to the scattered furniture and supplies. “Would you help me clean this up? Before Jake―”

The door swung open. “I’m sure he’s fine. He’s―” Jake assessed the situation with frantic eyes. “Shit. Did you break anything?”

“Oh my God!” Shoshana’s hands went to her mouth as she stepped into the break room beside her husband. “Amit!” Continue reading →