-sniggergigglesnort- So this is me getting back at Clare for the Eraubrey thing...it's kind of amusing to see her shipped for once. I must do it more often. So anyway, I know this first part is real short, but I have an idea for the next chapter, which will be epic and hilarious. And it will most likely involve pantsless Erad. -shrug-

More later! It's late, and I need sleep. . -Erin

Best Enemies

A ClarexErad Fanfic

Chapter 1

Ten feet.

Brandon had never realized how catastrophically close ten feet could be. Here he was at what was supposed to be the coolest event of his life, and standing just ten feet away from him was the one factor that could turn it into the week from hell. He, Brandon, more commonly known as "Erad" around the forum, was looking straight into the calculating eyes of Clare, also known as Meg Falconer, the Queen of Shipping, and—ever since she had discovered his distaste for romance and being shipped—the bane of his existence.

He could not very well run and hide now, especially since his "Hi, my name is Brandon/Erad sticker was declaring itself on his jacket like a neon sign.

"So, Erad, we meet at last," Clare said ominously, eyeing him with a slightly wicked grin, portending of shipping to come. "I have waited a long time for the opportunity to play a more…active…role in your romantic state."

"Now, wait a second…uh, Maleficent," Erad said, naming the first evil queen he could think of and deeply regretting his choice to leave his flaming mace at home. "You are not allowed within arm's length of me all week. No shipping. None. Nada. No combining names, no squeeing, no nothing! And no wielding that unholy wand of yours!"

Clare, who had just been sneakily reaching into her backpack for her handy shipping wand, scowled. "Aw, curses," she muttered to herself.

All of a sudden, Erad was distracted by the sight of a tall, lean figure crossing the lobby. The short-haired girl looked oddly familiar. After a moment he realized: Holy marmalade, that's PC! Taylor, otherwise known as Prince Cricket, was not looking over at them, but introducing herself to a clump of the other girls. Erad frowned and thought, I wonder if she knows she still owes me ten bucks from that time we played online bingo…

"AHA!" Clare jumped out, poking Erad with the wand (which was very pink and very sparkly with an excessive amount of feathers attached to it) and hollering "I knew it!"

"Hey! What did I say about that wand?" Erad said, backing away.

Clare ignored him. "You were staring adoringly at PC! I always knew there was something between you two!" She squared her shoulders, pointing the wand at him sternly. "I swear, if it's the last thing I do, I'm going to see you shipped before we leave this con!" Then she turned on her heel and made a dramatic exit, going to stand next to PC, Helen, Erin, and the rest of the girls.

Erad rolled his eyes, sighing in utter annoyance, and walking over to talk to Geminex and Chris. "Good luck with that," he muttered.