Unveiling Aiden

Fourteen-year-old Aiden Rothe's life is full of secrets, and his sexuality is only the tip of the iceberg. While his high school wrestling team views gay and strong as mutually exclusive, Aiden is determined to prove them wrong. It's time for a gay athlete to take top prize . . . if only he wasn't crushing hard on Mateo Hernandez, captain of the JV wrestling team and a major heartthrob. Locked out of the wrestling scene, Aiden finds an unlikely mentor in his English teacher, Lloyd Samuels, who introduces him to karate. When Aiden's honesty about his sexuality backfires with some homophobic fellow students, Mr. S even steps in to protect him, creating a school martial arts club in the process. Once word gets around, there's an exciting new challenge on campus-the championship wrestling team against a bunch of outsiders and underdogs. It's the ultimate battle between the cool kids and the rebels. And for the main event? A showdown between Aiden versus Mateo. But can Aiden fight his first love and prove himself at the same time? Dripping with raw emotion, unexpected twists, and more than a dash of hope, Singlets and Secrets isn't just more high school drama. It's a deep dive into figuring out who you are and accepting it no matter what someone else may think-a heroic journey that speaks to the struggling teenager in us all.

After a roller coaster of ups and downs last year, Aiden Rothe starts sophomore year on a high. After all, he's dating the boy of his dreams. What else matters? But Aiden's hopes for a drama-free school year are thrown aside when a new student captures everyone's attention: Michelle, an incredibly athletic, transgender black belt. Fearing a repeat of last year's bullying, Aiden's karate club reaches out to Michelle, hoping to recruit her. To their surprise, she already has a team. Michelle is training with local police captain Decker at his MMA studio, the epicenter of LGBTQ+ hatred in and around Washington High. Soon after, Decker and his notorious partner, Washington High Wrestling Coach Krake, announce a new tournament with a $25k college scholarship as the grand prize. For some, like Mateo, it's a crucial opportunity-he lost his scholarship chances when he came out and quit the wrestling team the year before. Can the true meaning of martial arts heal the divisions in this town, or will fighting only make things worse? A rousing story of love versus hate, where hidden truths and life-altering decisions lay behind every corner, Pride and Persistence celebrates the indomitable spirit within us all-the fighter that refuses to stay down, no matter how many times one falls.