"That and playing ding dong ditch with the neighbors," Michael agreed. Ben was without a doubt one of the most awesome people in the world ever, but that didn't mean he was the most responsible in some ways. That didn't bother Michael; he liked it when Ben let him get away with stuff that most adults, his parents included, would not. It was thrilling. "I'd be worried about you guys all the time too, so it might be a good idea for me to stick around. But only if you're sure it's okay." Michael offered Sam another cautious look. He still wasn't so sure about where he was in all this.
"Ice cream," Sam started, "what flavor?" Ben voted on the cake. Sam turned to ask Faith the same question, only briefly interrupting her before she could answer afterward to, quite simply, give Michael a more stern expression. "We want you to stay. There's plenty of room. Now why don't you sit down while we get this ice cream together?"