"...and once a sunfish just glided straight into a ship and demolished it!" Michael rambled, gesturing excitedly.
"R.I.P ship," Jeremy said solemnly. "And all hail our new overlord the sunfish."
"Nah dude, if any animal would be our overlord it'd be octopi," Michael replied, then frowned. "Octopi? Octopods?"
"Octopuses," Jeremy suggested.
"Man, who even knows," Michael laughed. As they approached the door to their shop, he dug in his hoodie pocket. "Hey, did you bring your keys?"
"No, I thought you did."
The two stared at each other, then at the unmoving glass door. Jeremy's thoughts raced, scrambling for a solution.
"Okay, uh, Michael!" he yelled.
"Yes!" Michael yelled back.
"Close your eyes!"
"Why!"
"Just do it!"
"Uh! Okay!"
Jeremy texted the group frantically.
player2: OPEN THE DOOR WE DIDNT BRING OUR KEYS
bemyvalentine: dumb
aceinplays: what abt michael
player2: eyes closed hurry
Michael tilted his head. "Uh, Jer? How is me closing my eyes gonna help get our door open?"
"Shh, don't question it," he shushed.
Christine's figure appeared in the darkness of the closed shop, the keys she'd borrowed from Jeremy already in hand. She grinned nervously at Jeremy, unlocking the padlock with a deft twist of her hand.
"Okay Mica, keep your eyes closed," Jeremy took Michael's hands in his, gently guiding him through the door and up the stairs to their apartment.
Michael's nose scrunched up, feet stumbling along.
"Is it just me or do I hear another set of footsteps?" he asked, gripping Jeremy's hands tighter.
"Eh," the latter replied distractedly.
"That's not an answer," Michael deadpanned.
"Okay! We're here," Jeremy chirped.
Christine opened the door, and not quite in unison, five different voices yelled, "Happy belated birthday Michael!"
Michael opened his eyes to Brooke, Chloe, Rich, Jake and Jenna standing around an almost absurdly elaborate cake. He laughed, surprised.
"Thanks guys," he grinned, looking around at the apartment decked out in cheery and tasteful decor. "Whose idea was this?"
"Christine's, mostly," Jeremy admitted. "But everyone chipped in to help."
"I baked the cake," Jake volunteered.
"I can tell," Michael snorted. "But thank you. All of you."
Christine squealed, tackling him with a hug. Michael stumbled back, letting out a quiet "oof". Stifling a laugh, Jeremy caught him, bracing his weight.
"Alright, alright, enough with this sappy stuff," Chloe cut in. "We brought presents!"
And no one saw the ghost behind the door.