The Tales Of Sasha Silver (gxg)

Chapter 1

I love the rain. Something is soothing about sitting by a window, watching each raindrop dance as it falls gently against the glass. It brings me a deep sense of peace, brightening my mood like nothing else. I relish the sound of rain, and how it builds from a soft patter to a rhythmic symphony. To some, it might sound like an army marching into battle; to others, like a cascading waterfall. I find myself in the latter camp, easily drifting off to sleep to its beautiful melody.

I'm not the only one who appreciates it. Mrs. Stills, my neighbor, often drags a chair onto her porch, settling in for a nap as the rain falls. She even sets out a flower pot to catch the water, though I've never seen what she's trying to grow—it never seems to thrive. Perhaps she's still learning the ropes of gardening.

As you can probably tell, I'm quite the observer. I don't do it on purpose; it's just part of who I am. Friends often tease me with the nickname "Observation Izzy," but I take it in stride. By the way, my name is Izzy—Izzy Summers, to be precise.
Here are three facts about me if you want to get to know me better:

1. I'm quite observant (though you probably picked up on that already).

2. I'm taller than most of my peers, and when I was younger, I was always the tallest kid in school. My dad thought it would be a good idea to sign me up for youth basketball, and to my surprise, I excelled at it. Fast forward a few years, and I earned a scholarship to play for Castor University, proudly representing the Castor Bulldogs.

3. I believe that blood and water hold the same significance. To me, if you treat me well, I'll treat you well in return.

So, that's me. At the moment, I'm in the locker room of our rivals, the Hurricane Snakes, gearing up to motivate my teammates for our final game of the season. I'm naturally competitive, and after losing to the Hurricanes earlier this season, I was honestly pretty disappointed. This game is pivotal—it will decide who moves on to the championship. The tension is palpable, and I'm determined to ignite our team's spirit and make every moment count on the court.

"Okay, everyone, listen up! I don't want to have to repeat myself!" I said, my voice echoing in the locker room. "There are two ways we can lose today. The first is by giving it our all and coming up short in a hard-fought battle!"

I paused, scanning the faces around me. "The second—and final—way is by stepping onto that court with a defeated mindset, believing we have no chance against them! So, tell me, which option sounds more appealing?"

I locked eyes with each teammate, determination burning in my gaze. "Losing sucks, but feeling like a loser before the game even starts means we've already thrown in the towel! I know for a fact that none of you are losers. We win every day by having each other's backs!"

"I know for a fact that none of you are losers because we win every day by having each other's backs!"

"Brittney!" I called, pointing directly at her.

"When you accidentally left your phone in class after university hours, who helped you break it out?"

"All of you." She replied with a grin.

"And Erica, when you needed money for your dog's surgery, who helped raise every single dime?"

"Every one of you lovely people!" She exclaimed, her spirit lifted.

"Exactly! We're a family that looks out for each other, night in and night out!"

I took a moment to let that sink in. "So when you step onto that court, remember that you have teammates ready to back you up every step of the way. Let's go out there and show those Category 1s what we're made of!" My voice rose, igniting a fire in the room as every teammate sprang to their feet.