Sasha Chantal Parker was her name. Well, it still is but name she goes by 'Playa' by the gang who recruited her, the 3rd street Saints. After being in the middle of a gang turf war, she was saved by Troy and Julius, the latter recruiting her despite Troy's protest. Sasha mulled it over the next few days until she decided to give it chance.

"Might as well see what's up." she mumbles to herself as she got dress that morning. Sasha looked around her decent sized apartment, unhappy with her current life.

-Flashback-

Sasha Parker, born Wednesday, 20th Jun 1984 to William and Alexis Parker, a African American couple. Sasha grew up in an impoverished neighborhood in Stilwater. After her mother died when she was young, she and her siblings were raised by her father. When her mother died, in a way she became the next mother figure to her siblings. Making sure the kids were fed, dressed and everyone went to school.

Her father grieved but tried to make sure his oldest daughter wasn't burden by everything. He began to see another woman around the time Sasha was 13, who turned out to be a sweet lady. Her siblings took a liking to her besides Sasha, no offense to her but Sasha saw her replacing her mother. That relationship was straining no matter her father's girlfriend, Candy, tried to befriend the teen.

Things got even tense in the home when Sasha came out as bisexual at age 16. Her relationship with her father never fully recovered that.

As the oldest girl, she was second in the family as her older brother was in college around the time their mother died. Her siblings are Darnell, Anthony, Craig, Toni, Jasmine, Shanice, and Lisa. Darnell and she were the oldest of each boy and girl respectively.

Her parents raised 8 kids in the Sunnyvale Gardens, a notorious part of town known for gangs, drugs, and violence. Alexis always told her children to steer clear of certain buildings and everyone must stay together. Both parents worked hard for their children, William worked the newspaper as a journalist and her mother a legal aid. The family of 10 lived in a 4-bedroom apartment in the ghetto on the 6th floor.

When Darnell left for college, the rooming situation changed as Sasha had her brother's old room, the other children were separated by gender and the parents had their room. Despite their living situation, her parents done everything to give their children a good life. After her mother died, shit hit the fan when she came out to her father who disapprove about her choice.

The shouting match lasted for days and Sasha was tired of it. Her other family members lived too far away and her friend' family wouldn't let her stay after hearing the news. Sasha was at her reach, she had to get out the house. Either she would kill her father or harm herself, which was not an option. She had a year left of high school and then she would be off to college and away from him.

Sasha engaged in petty thief which in her neighborhood was normal. She did well until a near scared stopped her in her tracks and decided to get a job just in case. The local Freckle Bitches were hiring and for 10 bucks an hour, Sasha sucked it up as she dealt with customers all day. It wasn't the best work but it was something, it also didn't hurt that she saved for her college fund as her father decided not to pay for it if she continue to be 'gay'. This broke Sasha as her only parent didn't accept her, what was worse was Candy not stepping in to help.

A year later, Sasha graduated with a 3.8 and a full ride to Stilwater U for a degree in Health Psychology with a minor in Studio Arts. As soon as she got in, she moved out with help from her siblings and drove a B-Move truck to her dorm. It was bittersweet as she drove away from her childhood home, her siblings waving in the distance as she drove. Her father went to work after she graduated, and Candy gave her some money and a few gifts but that was all. Her mother should have been her, she thought.

She arrived and moved her things into the dorm, shared with another girl named Ciara Barber, a dark skin girl with box braids and a gold tooth. Both girls greeted each other and helped each other move in, chatting and finding more about each other.

'The next few years are gonna be a breeze if she's my roommate.' Each girl thought to themselves as they joked around. The next few years went by as Sasha worked hard for her degrees, keeping up with her siblings and engaging in some petty thief on the side. She dated as well; a Jewish girl named Sarah, German named Mike, Australian named Felix, a Jamaican named Samuel, another black girl named Melina and so on. On campus she had a reputation of her short burst of anger then leading to violence, so many steers clear of her bad side.

At last, she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a 3.9 with her degrees at the age of 22. It took a long time to get there but Sasha made it. Her family attended her graduated, her father and Candy still together but Candy was visibly pregnant put Sasha off. Her siblings took pictures and rejoiced but her father was disinterested in the activities. Sasha pushed her anger aside and tried to be civil with him.

The family went back to Sasha's apartment located in Sommerset; a moderate size apartment Sasha lived in after her junior year. She wanted Ciara to live with her but Ciara moved in with a boyfriend. She understood, she would have done the same thing if she dated long enough to do so. Food was set up, hands washed, laughter heard throughout the apartment. Sasha smiled as she soaked in the energy of her family around her. In a way it also felt like old times, except her mother wasn't here.

Sasha glanced at her mother's photo on the wall next to her, fondness in her eyes. Alexis Marie Williams nee Cox had the same sepia complexion as her daughter, warm brown skins, kinky dark brown hair to her shoulders and a bright smile. The picture was of her mother holding her as a baby, joy appearing in her face.

-Current Day, June 15, 2006-

Sasha looked in her mirror, making sure she looked decent for the 'gang' meeting. Honestly, she didn't know what she was getting into, and after a year of trying to land a job with her degree was hard. Many wanted experience but she was only so young and the pay they offered her was laughable. The only job she managed to get was an office job, which was okay but not in her field. Putting up with the same thing every day, trying to avoid getting into gang business and figuring what to do in life.

She fixed her curly dark brown hair into two buns, too tired to braid her hair. Sasha gel down her baby hairs with a toothbrush, making sure to get it right this time. After completing her hair, she gave herself a once over again. Brown eyes staring back at her, complimenting her brown sepia skin tone. She threw on a white tee-shirt, black shorts and a old pair of high tops as she made her way to the Row.

She would have taken her car but decided not to, the June weather felt good enough to walk or take a cab. Since the Row was far, she hailed a cab down the block and walked the rest of the way.

As she walked, she heard a few men catcall her or leering openly. She rolled her eyes and walked faster til she saw the church. Sasha walked over and saw Julius leading the gang into a roaring speech.

"Every muthafucka here knows what we need to do. Those bitches be ridin' around, thinkin' they own these streets. I don't care what flags they're flyin'... Rollerz, Carnales, Vice Kings... no one's makin' this n igga scared to walk the Row. We 'bout to lock this shit down... right now." Julius yelled to his followers. Many Saints agree with his statement as they clapped and cheered their leader.

Troy looks over, making eye contact at Sasha surprised and a bit disappointed she showed up here. 'What's a kid like her doing her?' he pondered to himself as he looked over towards the brown skin girl.

Johnny also looks over at the newcomer in white, wondering who she was.

"Aye Julius, who the fuck is this kid?" Johnny questioned, pointing her out to everyone. The 'kid' in questioned rolled her eyes, cursing him for bringing attention to her. Sasha decided to keep quiet just in case something happened.

Julius spoke, "Troy and I found her, I was gonna see if she'd like to ride with us." A few male members made some comments about his statement. Troy shut them up with a glare.

Johnny gave a mischievous grin, "Julius, if she wants to run with the Saints, she's gotta be canonized." The Saints hooted and hollered at a canonization. Sasha eyes went huge, not liking what was about to happen.

Troy sighed, "He's right, Julius. Everyone had to do it." Troy really want to see this 'kid' get fought but it was a rule in the gang.

"So Playa, are ya in or not? Because I need to know if your life was worth saving?" Julius asked the brown skin woman. Despite everything telling her to go the fuck home and run, Sasha accepted by nodding her head. Julius gave her a smile and the canonization began.

Now Sasha wasn't unfamiliar with fighting as she has 7 siblings and lived in the hood. Fighting is really what she had to do in life, and this should be a breeze. But she never fought more than two people at a time and even then, some of the Saints had gotten a good lick on her.

Her shirt had blood; a mixture of hers and others, her hair coming out the buns, and legs marked with scars. But she loved the feeling of fighting, it really did feel like old times in the neighborhood when girls would try to bully her or her sisters and getting to fight back was the answer.

Sasha punched the last Saint until he fell, not getting back up. Julius decided that was enough and she was in the Saints. Julius congratulated her on her fight, Troy gave a curt nod and Johnny made a sly comment on how he did it on half the time.

Before everyone left to do their respective task, Julius called them over and gave one last rousing speech.

"Let's get down to business. If we're serious about takin' back the Row, we gotta let those muthafuckas know what time it is. Now you break it down, and it's all about respect. Get enough of it, they're gonna back off, and we're gonna move right on in. We got some friends in town that could use some help. Give 'em a hand. 'Course, you can always drop any muthafucka flyin the wrong flag. So long as word gets out that the Saints is on the Row, I don't give a damn how you do it. You feel me?" The Saints cheered back, agreeing once again with their leader.

Sasha looked at her new family around her, a feeling of belonging overcoming over her. She notices three sets of eyes were on her: one curious, one distrust worthy, and one with concern. Sasha will prove to the male Saints especially that she can keep her weight in the gang.

They'll just have to see.