Open Secrets
Open Secrets
I wore a black jean jacket and a pair of black cargo pants. The cargo pants were much too big for me. But that’s what I liked about them. They gave me a hip hop feel I was going for that night. That pants hung low on my hips. So, with my cropped black T-shirt, the lower half of my stomach was bare. I was hoping the stage lights would glint off the fake diamond in my belly ring.
“I’ve been thinking,” Gil said. “We should probably get some promotional pictures done.”
“Sounds great,” I said. “I’ll let the band know.”
Gill shook his head. “Not the band, Just you.”
I wilted at the idea. It seemed like a betrayal to the band. Like I was going behind their backs. After being late for rehearsal and Gill’s requirement that I sing more, I didn’t want to piss them off again.
Gill tilted his head to one side. “If you’re worried about the others, don’t. They’ll never know about this. Or at least, by the time they do, it won’t matter.”
It won’t matter? What did that mean? If I didn’t know better, Gill was making it sound as though Shadow Beat’s days were numbered.
“It’s just - ” I had to say something.
“We’re a band. I’d feel shitty to ditch them like that. Especially Harold.”
“I understand,” Gill said. “But I told you. You’re my next big star. And I know it’s hard to think about now. But all stars have to leave some people behind.”
I looked around the place. The crowd had been getting coffee and chatting at their table since the earlier band had finished their set.
“I’ve contacted my photographer and a makeup artist. I’m doing a lot for you here. All I need is for you to realize that the rest of Shadow Beat - “ He took a deep breath. “Ana, you were ready to do anything for your dream. Remember?”
“I remember.”
Gill hopped off the stage, leaving me in a daze. The thought of sneaking behind everyone’s back worried me. Then again, what if Gill was right? What if Shadow Beat was holding me back?
The first half of our show went smoothly. The crowd was less energetic than the audience the previous week. But we gave a good performance. The closer we got to the end of our show, the more I dreaded the idea of betraying the band. Neither choice was good. Go behind the guys’ backs and make Gill happy. Or say no to Gill and risk losing all this. If I was honest with myself, I wasn’t at all torn between the two choices. Because I was ready to do whatever it took to launch my music career. The only thing I felt bad about was that I didn’t feel bad enough.
Ana Santos is a teenager who dreams about becoming famous with her band, Shadow Beat. Though they continue to put their name in the hat, hoping to get picked to play at the coffee house, The Showcase, they haven’t gotten their chance yet. Always dressed and ready to take the stage as Shadow, Ana looks like a rock star. She’s hoping that tonight will be their night to get picked, but there are so many hopeful bands at the café that it isn’t likely. Waiting their turn, Ana is approached by none other than Gill Daring, the owner of the café and a music mogul within the community. Ana can’t believe that Gill Daring is talking to her! He asks a bit about her background and the band. Ana shares with him that the band will probably never get picked, but he tells her that he’s got a good feeling about tonight and to stick around. Will it happen? Will Shadow Beat finally get to take the stage? Will Ana be able to turn from just plain Ana into her on-stage persona, Shadow? Moments later, Gill pulls the next band name from the hat and announces, “Shadow Beat” as the next band to play!
The band is a hit, and the audience loves them. Gill Daring tells Ana that he wants to speak more with her about her potential to make it in the music scene and asks her to meet him later and not to mention anything to the band members. She goes into the café and tells Kalli, one of the waitresses, that she’s there to meet Gil. Kalli points down the hall but tells Ana to make sure and leave the door open. This seems strange to Ana, but she moves down to Gill’s office. He’s there and invites her in. Gill asks her to close the door, but Ana remembers what Kalli said and hesitates. Gill says that all the sound from the café will disturb their conversation, so Ana goes against her instinct and closes the door. They chat about school, and Gill asks Ana if she’s in any clubs and what her parents think of her “music career”. Ana’s parents are in Mexico, and Ana’s brother, Jose, works nights and is barely around. Gill offers Ana a regular slot on Friday nights for Shadow Beat and asks her to sign a contract right then so they could play tomorrow - Friday. Ana’s not sure, but she decides it’s a good idea for the band and signs on their behalf.
Friday night goes well and the audience is asking for autographs - everything’s buzzing. Gill tells Ana that he thinks she’s got talent and offers to coach her, personally. He doesn’t want her to tell anyone though, because he can’t coach just anyone.
Ana is on a high, and, when she meets with the band the next day, she lets them know that she signed a contract. They’re upset but think they could get out of the contract as Ana’s under legal age. The band decides to go along with it so they don’t lose their Friday night gig. Things seem to be going well, and Ana is even more excited when she receives a text from Gill that he’s found an album that Ana’s been looking for for some time. Again, he asks that she keeps it a secret because he doesn’t want others asking him for rare editions from his collection.
Ana scrolls through social media to see how their new songs are being reviewed. Shadow Beat is gaining followers! She checks The Showcase’s Facebook page and is shocked when she reads warnings about Gill Daring’s ‘unwanted touches’ posted by another girl. Ana doesn’t know what to believe. It can’t be true!
Over the next few weeks, Gill continues to contact Ana to meet him and help him out. She feels like she needs to since Gill’s done so many favours for her and is coaching her career. This causes Ana to miss band rehearsals, which really lets down the rest of the team. However, Gill’s setting up an interview with an entertainment reporter gets the band back on board. The interview goes well, but the reporter asks questions about how deals are made in the industry - deals that everyone knows about, but no one talks about - open secrets. Just as the interview is coming to a close, Gill enters and tells the band that they’ll need some new songs and that he wants to see Ana singing the lead. This is a surprise, but the band goes along with it, hoping to progress their success.
On the Friday, just before going on stage, Gill tells Ana that he’s arranging for some promotional photos. Ana’s excited to tell the band, but Gill says it’s just for her and that she’s going to have to part from the band at some point if she hopes to make it big. The set goes well, and, as Ana’s packing up her guitar, she notices that someone’s put a red #metoo sticker on her case. She goes home, searches the internet, and is taken aback by what she finds - good thing nothing like that has ever happened to her!
Ana is over studying at her bandmate Harold’s house, and his mom asks Ana about how she’s managed to get so many things going for the band. Speaking with Ana privately, she asks Ana her if anything is going on between her and Gill Daring. Ana is shocked and assures her that nothing’s going on. Harold’s mom speaks frankly with Ana, telling her about men that are expert manipulators and slowly work themselves into girls’ lives until there seems to be no escape for the girls and things get increasingly worse. Ana doesn’t understand why she told her this because it doesn’t have anything to do with Ana and Gill’s work together.
The next day, Ana is getting ready to go over to Harold’s to pick up his new drum kit. She is just getting ready to go when she gets a text from Gill about a missed meeting. Although she doesn’t remember making the meeting, she feels that she has to be there. Racing to The Showcase, Ana parks and then sends a text to Harold apologizing that she can’t be there - yet, again. Ana goes into Gill’s office where they talk about the new songs that were played. Gill rubs his neck and tells Ana that he must have hurt it looking for the album he gave her. Then he asks her if she could just massage it a bit. Although Ana feels a bit awkward, she walks behind Gill’s chair and rubs his neck - he must be in pain if he’s asking for her help, no big deal.
The day of the photo shoot arrives, and Ana can’t believe all the time it takes for makeup and clothing. Gill makes some strange comments to Ana, but she tries to ignore them. When the shoot is over, Ana is going to the washroom to change back into her clothes. Gill stops her and tells her to change there, in his office - he wants to see her. He starts taking off his pants. Ana isn’t waiting around for anything and runs out the door!
Ana can’t believe it! As she sits in her room crying, she gets a text from a woman, Ramead, who says she’s seen Ana’s shows and wants to offer her an opportunity. Ana is suspicious, especially after everything that’s been happening, but, after they agree to meet at a public and busy coffee shop, Ana agrees. Ana finds out that Ramead also worked for Gill Daring at The Showcase and the same thing happened to her. She tells Ana that she’s collecting as many victim stories about what Gill’s been doing so that he can be stopped. Ramead explains to Ana that Gill has been grooming women by setting up coaching positions to gain their trust and then slowly taking advantage of them. Ramead wants to connect Ana with a reporter who’s building the story, but Ana’s not sure.
After careful thought and thinking through all of the things with Gill, Ana decides to meet Ramead and the reporter. It turns out to be the same reporter that interviewed the band. Ana tells her story and adds it to all of the others that the reporter is collecting to put Gill away by writing an article that will be published the next week.
Ana stays home for most of the next week. She knows that the article will be published on Thursday and, that night, Harold knocks on her door. Ana learns that Gill is under investigation and that The Showcase is closed indefinitely. She knows she’s lucky to have gotten out of there when she did. At the next band rehearsal, Gill is the topic of discussion. Some think he was creepy, and others don’t think he could do it at all and it was probably some crazy woman looking to get even for something. Ana and Harold know the true story and decide it’s in their best interest to get rid of the other members of the band and go on as Shadow Beat, hoping to start something new and inspirational after Ana’s experience and learning with the #MeTooMovement. The fans like her new vibe, and musicians ask to join her band. This is exactly what Ana wanted to do with her music, inspire others.
Manuel’s writing is effective and clear. She does a solid job of demonstrating how anyone could unexpectedly fall victim to ‘grooming’ and how this process is a form of abuse. The story is accessible and would be a useful introduction into understanding the #metoo movement and the importance of speaking out. The story is, at the same time, believable and alarming. The heaviness of the #metoo theme is paired well with the lighter side of a teenage band that is working to find and create its own sound. Open Secrets would be appropriate for any teenager who is interested in music or has aspirations to be in a band.
Penta Ledger is a teacher-librarian at Gravenhurst High School in Gravenhurst, Ontario.