Ruby couldn't help but take a slight step back when Ethan had gotten up to stand before her, easily having to look up at him with how tall he was. Her expression again seemed appalled that he would go as far as to stand up to -her-, of all people, but especially for none other than -Elizabeth-. "I never.." She managed to get out after seemed at a loss of words (For once). And Ericka seemed to have the same reaction, her face growing slightly pale even at the sight of his snake like fangs. But almost immediately she had taken her hands off Elizabeth's shoulders. "Lets go." Ruby retorted, giving a roll of her eyes and a shake of her head. "Stand up for this... This -girl- all you want. Tell me when you'd like to speak with -real- people." Both Ruby and Ericka then returned to their seats, only to continue on with their whispering.<br/><br/>Elizabeth's gaze just barely lifted enough from where it had fallen to her lap enough to meet Ethan's, though not for more than a second or two before her gaze was back down, giving a small and slight shrug as if to answer the unspoken question with an unspoken answer. In all reality there were slight tears in her eyes though she was trying to choke them down the best she could. She had always been a fragile girl in terms of emotions and having her feelings hurt. A simple raised voice, an offending comment, a mean enough glare-- These were some of the many things that would easily hurt her. And she hated it, she knew what always happened, and she knew that she shouldn't be such a baby, as she always called herself.<br/><br/>"Thank you." Were the only words she manage out without lifting her gaze again, the words coming out just barely above a whisper as if they had been choked out of her, though perhaps they were with the way she was struggling with herself, telling herself repeatedly not to cry. And she wanted to add that she would've been fine without having anyone standing up for her- But maybe that was a lie. She'd always just said she'd be fine, she was fine, or she is fine. Over all, it'd been nearly forever ago that she'd had someone stand up for her, but just the same, it was nearly forever ago that she hadn't been bothered by the bad thoughts that were said about her, planted in her head like seeds from those around her.