Now, most people on campus had a more progressive attitude towards the LGBT crowd, but there was always someone who was homophobic. And at this college (although, truth be told, it happens a lot this way in other places too) the biggest homophobes were the jocks, who not only liked to bully "fags", but also nerds, geeks, wimps, goths, and any other outcasts.
Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately, if you want to look at it like that, since Gene was there), on the way to his class, Jake encountered three of those jocks in the middle of the quad.
The funny thing was, these three jocks (Steve, Mike, and Dennis) used to be best friends with Jake, back when he was totally straight. But that reality was long gone and neither the jocks nor Jake remembered it.
"Well, look who it is, boys," Steve said, with a smirk. "The most famous fag on campus."
Jake didn't have time for this. So he quickened his pace. But a hand on his shoulder stopped him, then yanked him around. It was Steve. "Hey, I'm not done talkin' to you, fag."
Looking back towards where he had walked from, Jake spotted Gene, then looked at Steve. "You don't want to do this."
"Do what? Oh, you mean beat the shit out of a faggot?" Steve asked. "Yeah, I think I do. God, I can't believe that I've actually been playing sports with a fag all this time. When you announced to the school that you were getting married, to another guy ... ugh. I think I vomited in my own mouth. And not only are you getting married to one guy, but two. That's worse than being a fag. That's ... what's that called?" he turned and asked Dennis, who was the smartest of the three of them.
"Polygamy."
"Yeah, that," Steve said.
"I think you should take your hand off me now," Jake said. "Unless you want to get more intimate with me."
Steve snatched his hand away, a grossed out look on his face. Then his face filled with anger. "You'll pay for that, you sick pervert." And with that, he slugged Jake in the face.
Looking up from the sidewalk, blood dripping from his nose, Jake sneered. ""You asked for it." Then he yelled out "Gene, I want to make a wish!"
"Then make one," Gene said, walking towards them.
Steve, Mike, and Dennis turned in his direction. "Who's this guy?" Mike asked, speaking for the first time during the encounter.
"I wish ..." Jake began.