Disclaimer: I do not own Sofia the first

"Jade!" Sofia called out. Hurling the frisbee towards her friend.

"Got it!" she cried, jumping up to catch it. Kicking it towards the goal as it transformed again.

Meg lunged, making a valiant effort to defend. But it proved fruitless as the dazzleball hit it's mark.

"Way to go Jade!" Sofia cheered, rushing over to congratulate her friend"

"That was awesome!" James agreed. The young prince having accompanied his sister to the village to play dazzleball with their friends.

"Thanks," she smiled, breathlessly. Taking a moment to clean her glasses. Which had accumulated some dirt during their playing.

"You guys up for another round?" Ruby asked.

"Actually..." Sofia started. Noting the setting sun. "We should probably head back home. Amber and I start school tommorow."

"Oh that's right," the other girl acknowledged. "You said Everrealm Academy starts a week earlier than us."

"Yeah," Sofia admitted.

"Well, we can just catch up again this weekend," Jade suggested. Already aware that the weekdays after school would not be an option. The princesses being required to stay at their school during those times.

"Yeah, Oh wait... I already promised Vivian I'd come to her castle this weekend... and the weekend after I'm supposed to see Aunt Tilly..." her brow furrowing as she considered her soon to be busy schedule.

Her friends exchanged glances. "It's alright we'll figure something out," Ruby assured.

"You'll write to us won't you?" Jade asked.

That brought the smile back to Sofia's face "Of course!"

The friends bid each other goodbye; and the village girls noted how much darker it was getting as well.

"I guess we'd better head home too, huh?" Jade guessed.

"Yeah" Ruby agreed. "I'll see you tommorow." Waving as she took off towards home.

"Yeah... tommorow" Jade waved back somberly. Standing to watch the setting sun a little more, as yet another day of summer vacation came to an end. The last summer vacation they would have before starting secondary schooling... when things would become so much busier...

She sighed, a bit forlorn, and bent down to pick up the dazzleball.

"Jade!"

She looked up, brows furrowing at the figure coming towards her.

"Prince James?"

"Hey!" he said, a little breathless. "Sofia wanted to give you this." Handing her a small present. He having offered to run it to her when his sister realized she'd forgotten. "It's a good bye gift"

"Oh, thanks," taking it from his hand.

"Now I just need to give this one to Ruby." Holding up another package as he looked around for the other girl.

"Here," reaching for it. "I'll get it to her"

"Thanks, well I'll see you around then!"

"Yeah," forcing a smile, before looking back at the presents in her hand. A wistful expression coming to her face.

The prince stopped in his tracks, noticing her countenance. "Hey, are you okay?"

"I'm fine... I guess," she tried to convince herself, before admitting "I'm just going to miss Sofia..."

Gazing down at her unopened gift she continued. "You know, it was hard when she first became a princess, and we couldn't see her at school or in the village as much. But at least she was able to come visit often, or we could go see her. But... now that she's going away to school. it's going to be so much harder to keep in touch. Especially when she has so many other friends now," a little bit of that characteristic Jade bitterness seeping through.

"Yeah, but you know Sofia would never leave you guys behind," he assured. "I mean you guys have been best friends since forever."

She smiled at that, appreciative of his words "I know," taking a seat upon a log and resting head in her hands. "Still, it doesn't make it any easier..."

James sat down next to her, considering her thoughts. Honestly he could sympathize with her, at least with the second part. Because for the first time in his life he was about to be separated from, Amber, his twin. Plus there were also his other friends from Royal Prep. Namely Zandar and Desmond. who had both ready started at the Institute for Science and Alchemy a few days ago; and while they had all promised to continue seeing each other. For the first time in his life, he was beginning to understand a bit of what his younger sister must have felt, when she went through such a drastic change.

"Well, how about this?" picking up the dazzleball she'd left on the ground. "Chivalry Hall starts the same time as you guys. Maybe we could hang out until then."

She furrowed a brow at him, "You're not just offering because you feel sorry for me, are you?"

"What? No!" attempting to placate. "Well, maybe little..." he admitted. "But, I do really like spending time with you. After all, were friends too.

She blinked at him. More than a little surprised to learn that the prince. Whom she once fawned over embarrassingly as an unobtainable crush, actually considered her to be his friend, and not just a friend of his sisters'

The thought caught her so off guard, that she couldn't help it. She burst out laughing.

"What?" his brow furrowing at her "We are, aren't we?"

"Sorry! Sorry!" she caught her breath. "You're right, we are; and you know what," taking the ball back and giving him a smile. "That sounds like a great idea."

That brightened him back up again, "Awesome! Let's make this the best last week of summer vacation ever!" he cheered.

And that, was a promise made and kept for many summers after.

A/N: So this one was definitely a bit more on the friendship side. But hey, sometimes that's a good place to start. I hope you enjoyed it regardless, and thanks for reading.