I am cursed. But I think it would be much more wiser if I told you all of what has happened to me. My name is Maria Kaslov. I am a Gypsy. I live with my Nana and my Papa. But you would probably call them Mom and Dad. I am very well off in the world. I live in a wealthy village along with other Gypsy families like mine.

Some have tried to move into some of our houses in the village that were not of Gypsy inheritance. After a few months they had moved out. You can say that we are prejudiced, because we are. We stick to our own kind. I think my people were cruel to the different people that had moved in. But my opinion to them has no effect. For in their eyes I am still a mere child at the age of seventeen and a half.

My family was dishonored. See I was to be married in the month of November the day of my eighteenth birthday. But the man that I was to marry had shamed my family by getting caught with another woman. She was my best friend. After that shame was laid on my family's hands I had to cleanse them. So I was sent to my uncle and aunt.

They live in a town called Tulsa in a state called Oklahoma.

I guess I've never really liked America. Only because most people here treat me like the Gypsy that they have only read about or seen on television or films. They say that I steal. Well, I have before. But there are rules that my people do follow. We only steal what we need to survive from people who don't need them. We would not steal from someone poorer nor would we steal something that we didn't need. If we did we would have been dishonored and shunned.

Forgive me, I am probably boring you by now. I shall start my story of my short spring. It started on a stormy Friday. I was………..

"Maria, get in here this instant!" Christina Kaslov shouted loudly over the rain that was pouring down heavily.

Maria stirred slightly in her treehouse. Sitting up she realized that she was soaking wet and freezing. "I knew I shouldn't have come in here when it was raining." She muttered as she started to climb down the slippery steps.

"I honestly don't know what to do with you." Christina said as she placed her hands firmly on her hips.

"I'm sorry, Nana." Maria said smiling as she reached the backdoor of the old house. "It was such a nice day and I just wanted to be up in the air."

Christina started to smile but then frowned at her daughter. "You can catch pneumonia that way." She said in an angered tone. "Come in." She said stepping back from the closed screen door. "You and your great grandmother are so much alike." She hissed.

Stepping inside Maria felt the warmth of the house warm her shaking fingers slightly. "Nana, is Papa home yet?" She asked brightly. Ignoring the comment made about her grandmother. For not knowing her she didn't want to hear about it. She brought on my curse. She wanted to shout to her mother. Don't compare her to I. Nor I to her.

Christina shook her head smiling. "Not yet, Maria. But he shall be home soon." She said as she took off Maria's heavy rain soaked cloak.

Maria smiled as Christina pushed her slightly up towards the stairs to where her bedroom laid.

After her hot shower Maria changed quickly. "Papa shall be home by now." She said as she ran down the steps.

Sure enough, Enrique Kaslov was sitting in his favorite spot by the fire with a pipe stuck between his lips and teeth.

Maria's huge smile made him match her smile in return. "Come, Baby, sit by the fire and talk with me."

Eagerly Maria obeyed him. Sitting on her pillow beside his chair. "Hello, Papa." She said briefly kissing his cheek.

Enrique's eyes were the color of ebony but turned golden in firelight. Maria was blessed to inherit that trait from him. She had his eyes and dark skin along with the rich dark hair that came passed her waist. While Christina's eyes were a dark forest green. All three of them were Gypsies and proud of their fine inheritance.

"Baby, as the leaves change so does the time; and something has gone wrong." Enrique started in his low voice.

Maria sucked in a deep breath. She knew something was wrong. He wasn't smiling now and his eyes looked haunted by a dark shadow. "Papa, what has happened?" She asked cautiously. Afraid to know what had ailed her father.

Enrique cleared his voice. "Carlos has brought shame on himself and on us." He said calmly.

Christina dropped her knitting and Maria stiffened.

"I knew he was a no good man." Christina stated from her spot.

"Now, Christina," Enrique started. "Please." He asked softly.

Immediately Christina leaned back into her rocking chair and went back to her knitting.

Maria remained quiet and stiff. Her mind was racing a mile a minute. "What must be done, Papa?" She asked carefully. Knowing full and well that there was a price to pay for the shame brought onto them by Carlos.

Enrique winced, as if he had been struck painfully. "You must go to your Aunt Tearsa and Uncle Joseph in Tulsa." He said with reluctance.

Flinching, as though slapped, Maria nodded slowly. "As shall be done, Papa." She said tightly.

Christina stared at the scene displayed before her. She shook her head and sighed. If only his vanity had not shown up when she was born and had his wish not have been granted then great grandmother would never had placed that curse upon her. She thought regretfully as she looked at her beautiful daughter.

A knock landed on their front door and Christina instantly handed Maria her cloak to hide her face and body. Sighing to herself Maria hid beneath the dark cloak. But she felt no comfort from the darkness nor the warmth that it provided. She was so used to hiding herself. Covering what was given unto her.

Even as her friend Rosa came into her sight she had to keep the cloak adorned. Hiding and sheltering her from human eyes, except from those of her families.

Rosa came and went, and so did the night. Leaving Maria fearful and frightened of her new place in the world. True Oklahoma was not far from Pennsylvania but she would not live with other Gypsy families around her. She would no longer be sheltered from the other races of the world.

Maria said her quick good byes to her Nana and Papa and clutched the cloak tightly around her. Her cousin Juan was taking her to the airport and then dropping her off to fend for herself until she got to Tulsa Oklahoma.

Sitting on the plane made Maria nervous. People stared at her and the person who sat next to her watched as she made the coin in her hand appear and disappear and then reappear all through the trip. Maria ignored their questions and kept her focus on the gold coin in her hand. If she concentrated long enough she could actually feel the coin moving slightly on it's own.

When the plane had landed Maria tugged the cloak closer and more tightly around her. She ignored the stares from the people that were luxuriating in their shorts and T-shirts. She grabbed her worn carpentry bag and made way towards the direction in which her name was being called from.

Uncle Joseph was Papa's brother. He knew of her situation and how it was to be handled. And Aunt Tearsa knew how to make her feel at home.

"Maria! Maria! Maria!" Joseph shouted over the large crowds. When he caught sight of the figure in the dark cloak he knew that the figure was his niece. Daughter of his brother Enrique. "Maria!" He shouted once again before catching her into a large hug.

Maria backed away from her uncle. Her cloak slipping slightly. "Uncle Joseph." She said politely. Then she bowed her head slightly towards her aunt. "Aunt Tearsa."

"Child you shall not do that for us." Tearsa said as she hugged Maria carefully so as not to disturb the cloak like her husband foolishly had. "Come we shall go home."

Maria nodded and grabbed for her bag discovering that her uncle was already carrying it for her.

"I'm sure you want to get out of that hot cloak." Tearsa said as she ushered Maria towards a black jeep with gold lining.

"Just take the damned thing off." Joseph had said with out resignation. As if Maria hadn't a care in the world. As if she could forget what had marked her as a child.

Tearsa glared at her husband. "Forgive him. He has been acting foolishly lately. Besides you know how strongly he feels about human rights.

Maria knew well about her uncle's passion that turned to obsession over human rights. Make that equal right. For animals had rights too. "I know that I should not always wear the cloak, but I feel awkward about how I appear." She said in a small voice.

Joseph's face softened as he listened to his niece's voice. It was soft and melodic. 'Beautiful. Another curse from great grandmother brought on by Enrique's vanity.' He thought angrily to himself.

Soon Maria was ushered into her uncle's and her aunt's home as if she had lived there all her life. "We have neighbors?" She asked looking out her window.

Tearsa nodded and smiled. "Yes, we do."

"What are they like?" Maria asked curiously.

"They sing. That's all that I really know." Tearsa answered. Then she motioned towards one of the closed doors in Maria's new room. "There's a bathroom in there. You might want to change into some fresh clothes." She said before she gave Maria one last hug before she left closing the door behind her.

Maria looked down at her skirt and leather sandals. "I don't belong here." She said softly as she watched a couple of the neighbor kids playing basketball. She fiddled gently with the gold band around her ankle. "Everyone is in pants. All I have are my skirts." She said bitterly.

"I should have known to have gotten something so that I wouldn't have such a culture shock." She said regretfully as she stood up.

"Aunt Tearsa." She called out softly as she walked down the stairs.

"Yeah!" Came a muffled reply.

"Where can I go to so that I will be dressed like the other kids?" She asked as she toyed with her peasant skirt.

Joseph appeared smiling. "I know just the place." He answered as he grabbed his keys off a small table and held the front door open for her.

Tearsa and Maria followed him out.

Maria only glanced at the playing neighbor children. She noticed that they had stopped and stared at her. Hugging the cloak closer Maria shivered. I sure do hope that I know what I am about to do. She thought carefully to herself.

"Tay, did you see that?" Isaac asked as he stopped chasing Zac around the basketball court. He watched as someone draped in a cloak get inside the neighbor's jeep. "I-OOOMPF!" He said as the basketball caught him in the stomach.

Taylor started laughing. "Nice catch, Ike. Want Jessie to show you how to play?" He offered smiling.

Isaac grimaced and looked back at the cloaked person. "Look." He pointed out to his brothers.

"At what?" Zac started before he saw what Isaac was pointing at. "Ohhhh." He said in understanding.

"Do any of you know that person?" Isaac asked as if he was in a trance.

Taylor and Zac only shook their heads.

Isaac didn't know why but he felt his left hand burn with fire. "I gotta go in for a while." He said staring at his left hand. As he got inside he got an ice pack and placed it on his scorching hand. "What is up with this?" He asked before he started calling for his mom.

As Maria sat in the back seat of the jeep she felt a burning sensation on her chest. "No." She whispered fiercely. "It can't be. Please, don't let it be."

After a few seconds the pain grew and she started to feel it in her left hand also. "NO!" She shouted.

"Maria, are you all right?" Tearsa asked fearfully as she looked at her from the front seat.

"GREAT GRANDMOTHER!!" Maria shrieked loudly before slowly passing out in her seat.

"What happened?" Maria asked as she slowly stirred from her blurred state.

"You fainted dear." Tearsa said as she wrung out the cool cloth and placed it back on Maria's forehead. "It must have been from the heat and your cloak."

Maria nodded. "Yeah." She said absentmindedly. Knowing that what she was saying was not exactly the reason for her blacking out. "I need to get some new clothes." She said as she stood up.

Tearsa nodded. "We got you some already. I guessed your size at first and then looked in one of your skirts. You are a size six. Lucky you." She said grinning.

The appraisal only reminded Maria of her curse and what had taken place just moments ago. "Thank you, Aunt Tearsa." She said smiling gratefully.

"You're welcome. If you change into the jeans now you'll be able to walk around the neighbor for about forty five minutes before we lose the sun light."

Nodding Maria went to look at the new clothes that was given to her. "I shall change and walk." She decided.

"Good." Tearsa said as she went to the door and shut it behind her.

"I found my other end of the curse." She whispered as she looked out her window. She saw a large family getting into a van. "I just need to know which one has the ring." She said as she changed into what her aunt had called jeans.

She rolled the cuffs up so that her gold band shown on her right ankle. It matched with her gold hoop earrings and the gold bands around her right wrist and on her arm. She glanced at herself in the mirror before sliding her cloak over her head and waist 'til it dropped to her feet.

Looking at the frayed bottom she bit her lip. "Looks like I have some sewing to do when I get back." She said as she started for the door.

Halfway down the stairs she heard her aunt and uncle talking in hushed tones.

"Joseph, she needs that cloak and you know it. Getting those jeans scared her to death. You saw her pass out!" Tearsa said fiercely but quietly.

"Tearsa, I'm trying to give her the normal life that a teenager deserves. She's been hiding under a cloak since she was a child. Don't you think it's time that she takes a different view of the world now?!" Joseph asked angrily.

Maria shook her head and walked in on their heated argument. "I only passed out from the heat, Aunt Tearsa. And, Uncle Joseph, you know that I shall never have a life outside the walls of my home. It shan't be done. Not with great grandmother's curse on me." She said in her soft voice as she went to the front door and walked out.

After half an hour of walking through the new neighborhood in which she would live in for the time being Maria got bored. And aggravated by the stares and the whispering of young children. Wondering about her cloak and if she was a horribly disformed creature under it.

You have no idea. Maria thought shuddering to herself.

The next day Maria decided to walk some more around her neighbor and maybe farther. She showered and changed into a pair of jeans and a T-shirt the color of the sky. Quickly she placed her cloak around her and placed the hood over her head. She checked the bottom to make sure that her sewing had paid off. It was good enough for the time being. But it was possible that she would have to get a new one.

Walking down the stairs and out the door Maria smiled as she felt the sun warm the top of her hood. It was hot under her cloak and she wished she could just throw it aside but she couldn't. Not yet and not for a long time.

She watched the neighbor kids played in their yard again as she walked by. Trying hard not to make it look like she was looking at them. But then she heard shouting. Are they shouting at me? She asked as she stopped walking and turned around towards them. One of the kids was shouting while one was strangling him and the other was laughing hard.

"Hey, Ike, there's that person that you pointed out yesterday." Taylor called to Isaac as he jumped to shoot a three-pointer over his older brother.

Isaac easily rejected it and looked at what Taylor was talking about. He saw the person adorned in their dark cloak again. "Man, I'm wearing a tank top and shorts and I'm roasting." He exclaimed shaking his head.

"Talk to them." Taylor stated as he chased after Zac who was going for an easy lay up.

"Nah." Isaac said as he grabbed the rebound off Zac's point.

"Ike, if you don't call them over, I will." Taylor said firmly.

Isaac stopped dribbling. "You wouldn't." He challenged doubtfully.

Taylor grinned at him. He then turned to the direction of the person in the dark robe. "Hey!" He shouted. "Neighbor person! Over here!" He continued shouting.

He couldn't get much more out because Isaac was hanging all over him trying to shut him up. "Hey!" He shouted more as he laughed at Isaac's antics. "Neighbor person! Yeah, you!" He watched as the person turned around. "Yeah, you!" He shouted again as he listened to Zac's laughter and his own.

Soon Isaac was done trying to shut him up and stood up straight. He watched as the clothed person stepped before them.

Maria felt ever nerve in her body screaming and shouting at her to runaway. Yet, she ignored them as she walked up to her new neighbors. "How may I help you?" She asked politely as she bowed her head slightly in respect.

The tallest of the trio cleared his throat nervously. "Did you just move in with the Spinazzola's?" He asked nervously.

"Yes." Maria said nodding her head slowly. "They are my aunt and uncle."

"Oh." The middle one answered. "Where from?" He asked interested.

"From Pennsylvania." She answered plainly as she watched the youngest one dribbled the ball expertly.

When he stopped dribbling he walked over to her. "Why are you in that cloak?" He asked innocently. "Aren't you like dying of like a heat stroke or something?"

Maria shook her head. "It is warm, but I am used to it. I have worn cloaks like this for a long time."

"But why?" The middle one asked curiously.

"I need to hide from human eyes." She explained slowly.

They didn't seem to understand well and Maria knew that her answer wasn't that informative.

"I just need to." She answered again. "Forgive me, I have failed in introducing myself properly. My name is Maria Kaslov." She said extending her hand slowly.

The oldest gripped her small hand first. "Isaac. Isaac Hanson." He said as he looked at the dark skin of her hand. "Your accent. What is it?" He asked as she removed her hand from his.

"I am a Gypsy." She answered smoothly as she turned to the middle boy.

"I'm Taylor Hanson." He answered flashing her a bright smile. "We've never met a Gypsy before." He said grinning.

Maria flinched inwardly. "That does not surprise me, Tay." She said softly. "Normally we stick to our own kind."

Taylor's mouth dropped. "How did you know my nickname?" He asked in surprise. Then he shook his head. "You must be a fan." He said shaking his head and smiling.

"Fan of what?" Maria asked, confused by his words.

"Of our music." The young one said as he too shook her hand. "I'm Zac Hanson, but then again, I bet you already knew that."

Maria shook her head to clear out the confusion. "Listen, I do not know what you are talking about. What music? I know no music but that of which was played in my village."

The trio stared at her for a moment.

"We're sorry that we judged you." Isaac said quietly. "We assume a lot sometimes. Please, forgive us."

Nodding slowly Maria turned to go. "It was nice meeting you three." She said in a tight voice. She felt tears welling in her eyes. Everyone assumed who or what she was. Life should not be so cruel and so unfair. She remarked coldly to herself. No one ever said that it would be easy. She replied just as harshly.

Days went by and Maria took her walks always wearing her cloak in the spring heat of Oklahoma. She talked with the Hanson's a few times after their first meeting. Each time they asked if she would remove her cloak and she in turn refused and walked away. But on their last meeting they had not asked and she did not need to refuse nor leave early.

Maria walked carelessly around her room. Running her fingers through her hair and smiling as she tried to figure out what the black box in the corner was. It had knobs and buttons that she itched to touch but feared of breaking it.

"Maria!" Her aunt called from downstairs.

Running to her door Maria flung it open. "Yes, Aunt Tearsa?" She asked.

"You have visitors." She called back up.

"Oh." Maria replied. Then she ran for her cloak and pulled it over her head. Making sure that it was all the way down to her ankles she descended the steps. "Hi." She said brightly.

Isaac, Taylor, and Zac smiled at her. "Hey." They answered.

"Your uncle and I are going out. Will you be okay here?" Tearsa asked carefully.

Maria thought for a moment. "Yes, I'll be fine. Thank you." She said bowing her head slightly.

Tearsa nodded and gave the guys a smile and left the house with her Uncle Joseph.

"So how are you three and would you like something to eat or drink?" Maria asked as she fidgeted inside her cloak.

"Do you wear that thing all the time?" Isaac asked.

Maria took a step back. "Not all the time. Just when someone else besides my family is around." She answered shakily.

"Can I have some coke?" Zac asked smiling brightly at her.

"Umm, I can show you what we have to drink. You can choose whatever you like." She said as she opened the refrigerator. "Please take what you like." She offered to him, Taylor, and Isaac.

After they chose their drinks, with Ritz crackers and chips they walked into the front room.

"Would you like to watch a movie or just sit back and talk?" Maria asked as she stepped in front of them.

Isaac frustrated by her cloak gently but firmly jerked the hood back.

Taylor, Zac, Isaac, and Maria all gasped at the same time.

Quickly Maria grabbed the hood and hid herself under it again. "You should not have done that." She whispered. But she was not angry. Hurt, but not angry.

"Why do you hide yourself?" Taylor demanded now.

Shocked by his out burst Maria stepped back. "I have to. If I do not, then I am told that I am tempting man; and not worth anything."

"You have strange customs." Zac stated as he sat down on the couch.

"Maria, since we now have already seen you, will you take your cloak off if we stay indoors?" Isaac asked gently.

Maria thought this over. Then slowly she removed her cloak.

Isaac, Taylor, and Zac saw her finally. Dark, wavy black hair past her waist, ebony eyes that were both passive and aggressive, and dark skin that clung to a thin but curvaceous body.

Shrinking under their gaze, Maria reached for her cloak. "Maybe this was not such a good idea." She said softly.

Taylor stole the cloak from her grasp. "Nu, uh." He said as he sat on the cloak.

Maria's eyes slightly grew in size. Then she nodded. "I have to accept the fact that people will look at me while out of my cloak. But they will look at me while in my cloak. So how do I win?" She questioned them.

"You don't." Zac answered softly as he shrugged. "There are some things in life that you don't win."

"Maria, you are such a beautiful person, you shouldn't have to hide." Taylor added just as softly as Zac had.

Isaac was just staring at Maria as if he had known her all his life. He knew what she looked like. He knew exactly what she had looked like. He saw her in the dreams he had at night.

After a few moments of awkwardness they all sat down.

"Hey, do you know any tricks?" Zac asked smiling at her.

Maria's eyes flashed. "Why do you ask?" She asked defensively.

"Well, I read that most Gypsies learn a certain trade in magic." Zac said shrugging innocently. "I wondered if it was true or not."

"The magic that I do know is not from a trade. My mother was a white witch and my father studied black magic. Along with Gypsy trades." She answered tightly.

"Can you show us some?" Taylor asked. Disbelieving that she had any magical powers.

Maria stood up quickly. Never disbelief a Gypsy. Especially a sorceress. She hissed angrily at Taylor in her mind. She sat in front of the three. Thinking for a moment she smiled at Isaac. "Ike, may I see your ring please?"

Isaac looked at the ring on the middle finger of his left hand. "Why?" He asked cautiously.

"Jeez, you wuss." Zac stated as he ripped Isaac's ring off and handed it quickly to Maria.

"Thanks." Maria said laughing.

She held both of her hands out. Palms up, with Isaac's ring in her left hand. Slowly she closed her hands and then reopened them. Isaac's ring, now in her right hand. Again she closed her hands and then reopened them. No ring. For a third time she closed her hands and reopened them. A blue glowing orb was in both of her hands. She smiled and then grinned mischievously at them as she closed her hands yet again and the again reopened them. A flame burned in her left hand and she tossed it at them.

Isaac, Taylor, and Zac jumped and scrambled trying to get away.

When everything had settled, Maria started laughing at the trio. Isaac was holding his chest where his heart was, Zac was sitting on the back of the couch, and Taylor was behind the couch looking over the back at Maria.

"Where's my ring?" Isaac asked, as his heartbeat started to slow down to its normal rate.

Maria laughed some more and pointed to his left hand.

And there, securely and safely placed, was his ring.

Grinning Isaac stood up and started to drag and push Taylor and Zac towards the door while Maria just lay on the couch and laughed.

When they left Maria instantly started crying. So he is twist of fate, huh? She asked herself bitterly. I knew that I was sleight of hand from the tricks I do pull. But now Isaac is cursed too, because of great grandmother's curse on me. She thought angrily as she slowly removed the necklace that she carefully hid under her shirt.

A silver band hung from the gold chain. She fingered it lightly. I have to know where he got his ring. For now, he and I are destined to love one another, but doomed never to be together. Now everything he feels I shall feel three fold. All because of great grandmother and my father's vanity.

Her shoulders began to shake from her violent sobs. Great Grandmother, why did you choose Isaac to be laced up in my curse?