Page 42 of A Certain Step
The three of them broke into a shared chuckle.
Ethan then pointed to a question that read, “Is Declan really always shirtless?”
Still chuckling, Sam answered first. “Yes. We’re not exaggerating. He’s shirtless like ninety-five percent of the time. It’s obnoxious. It’ll be negative nineteen degrees out, and he’s still walking around with his chest out.”
“Can confirm, but push that percentage up to ninety-eight,” Ethan added.
Another two or three comments flew by them, with some variation of, “Show us!”
“I will. We’ll go there next. Any interesting questions for these two while they’re in an obliging mood?” Sam said.
“Who said we’re in an obliging mood? You just barged in here,” Ethan deadpanned.
Sam rolled his eyes lovingly. “I did. You wouldn’t disappoint the fans like that.”
“No, but I’m happy to disappoint you.”
Willa looked between them in the extremely tight spot, then burst out laughing. It prompted them to follow.
They looked to the camera then, reading, waiting for something interesting and appropriate to answer.
“This person wants to know if we were Austen fans before signing on to the production. I’m so sorry, I didn’t catch the username quick enough,” Willa read.
Ethan looked to Willa first, initiating for her to start the conversation. “I was! I grew up going to Bath frequently, so it was a big deal for me to get to do this. But, okay, no one kill me.Pride and Prejudiceis my third favorite. I’m a hardcore Henry Tilney girl first, Mr. Knightley second, then Darcy.”
Ethan and Sam let out audibly fake gasps. “Leave, you can’t sit here anymore. Security! Get her off this damn production,” Sam exclaimed.
Willa rolled her eyes, laughing. “Oh, is that so, Mr. I Watched 2005Pride and PrejudiceFirst Then Read the Book?”
Sam put up his free hand in surrender. “Fair, but hold.Pride and Prejudicewasn’t part of my curriculum. I didn’t do well in school. Leave me alone. I did read it extensively, though, to study, so jokes on you.”
Ethan chimed in next. “I read it in school but didn’t think much of it at the time. I really liked the Colin Firth mini-series,” he added, turning to Willa. “Which year was that again?”
“1995, BBC,” she answered.
“Yeah, I really dug that one. Ooh, and the zombies one they did a while back was hella cool. But I do know it like the back of my hand now. I don’t know if it’s this performance or my age, but I appreciate it way more than when I was in high school.”
Willa nodded with understanding. “You just made yourself sound ancient,” she started with a laugh. “I get that, though. It’s hard to appreciate most of the books we’re forced to study, but then when you read it whenyouwant to, it’s an entirely different experience. That was also a great question.”
Sam brought his face closer to the camera to hold the screen and read. “Oh, this one’s good; what number makes you the most nervous?ethaneverettdailyasked.”
“Oh, I know that account,” Ethan said. Willa smiled, knowing it’d make their day. “What number makes you the most nervous, Everett?” Willa repeated.
He took a breath, thinking the answer through. “I don’t think any of it makes me nervous anymore, but Maggie Garner is such a legend that I always feel like a little kid during, ‘Shut It Down, Darcy.’”
Willa and Sam nodded in unison. “God, she’s so good. I still can’t believe we get to work with her in this show. It doesn’t help that she basically yells at you throughout the whole thing,” Willa said.
“The first time we rehearsed it, I almost forgot my lines, and that rarely happens to me,” Ethan said.
Willa gave him a sweet look.
Ethan’s gaze averted toward them, waiting for either one to answer next. Sam went first. “Honestly, nothing? My scenes aren’t as intense, maybe ‘Doors Open?’ Just because I sort of kick things off, but it doesn’t actively make me nervous anymore.”
“Mr. Perfect over here,” Willa said, gesturing toward the camera.
Sam scoffed. “To be fair, if I had Ethan’s role, I’d be shitting bricks constantly. There’s a reason I’m the soft boy,” he noted, placing his hand under his chin in a motion to showcase said softness.
“Okay, but you are also most like your character, so that makes sense in a lot of ways,” Willa added.
