Title: Keeping it Together

Author: Lisa (Lissical)

Summary: Sequel to "Just Like Us." It is two years later and things in our favorite families' lives are…well…let's just say that they're all just trying to keep it together!

Disclaimer: I own the made up characters and the plot. Everything else belongs to Disney.

A/N: This story is dedicated to all of you who requested that I make a sequel. So here it is! I finally came up with something, so I hope you like it.

A/N #2: Okay I wanted to only make this a couple of years into the future because I have a few things up my sleeve, LOL. One of them is coming at the beginning of the story. Also, here are the ages of everyone: Larissa: 11; Ana: 9; Kayleigh and Zachary: 7; Theresa and Katie: 13; Michael: 8; Madison: 5; and Liam: 2.

Keeping it Together, Ch. 1

It was now September, which meant the beginning of yet another school year. So far, things seemed to be going just fine in the Bolton home. Ana was getting ready for her first day as a 4th grader, Kayleigh and Zachary were about to become 2nd graders, and Larissa was entering 6th grade: middle school. She was rather excited, but nervous at the same time. Her mom did teach Drama after all. Ana since Larissa loved acting, she of course signed up for the class. The only odd part would be having her mom…for a teacher.

So far it was a typical morning: Ana, Kayleigh, and Zachary were all downstairs finishing up breakfast while Larissa was still upstairs. Sharpay looked at her watch and sighed. She walked to the stairs, "Larissa what is taking you so long," she called. "You are going to be late!" She was about to call her name again after she didn't hear Larissa answer, but instead she heard a loud…

"AHHH! Mommy help!"

Sharpay hurried up the stairs and into Larissa's room, "Honey, what's…" But Larissa wasn't there. "Larissa, where are you?"

"I'm in the bathroom," she called. "Help me, mom!" She cried.

Sharpay walked to the door and knocked on it, "What's wrong, sweetie?"

Larissa opened the door, "Mom I think I'm dying!" She gestured to the blood she had just discovered.

Sharpay sighed in relief and smiled, "Congratulations honey!"

Larissa just looked at her mom as if she were from Mars, "Congratulations? Mom, how could you say that? I'm dying! I'm bleeding and I don't know why," she cried.

She shook her head, "No sweetie, you are having your first period," Sharpay said calmly.

"I knew it! I'm d…wait, my first what," she asked, actually hearing her mom speak for the first time that morning.

Sharpay closed the door behind her and explained to her daughter what was going on. As she was, Troy happened to walk by. As he did, he heard yet another…

"AAAHHH! I can't get that now!"

He paused for a moment and shook his head, "Nah." He continued to walk down the stairs to the kitchen, "Good morning," he greeted his other three children. "Is everyone ready for their first day?"

Zachary nodded, "Yep and I'm going to be able to tryout for basketball this year," he said excitedly. One had to be at least 7 years old and in 2nd grade to tryout for the elementary school basketball team ((yes, I know many schools don't have those…I'm making this up)) and Zachary was planning on doing exactly that…when it came time for tryouts anyway.

Troy smiled at his son, "You sound just like me when I was your age," he said proudly. "And when tryouts roll around, I'm sure you're going to do a great job." He turned to Kayleigh, "And are you ready honey?"

She nodded, "Yes; I want to be in the play this year! And now Larissa can't get a part," she said in a sing-song voice.

"That's great Kayleigh, but I don't exactly care for the last part," he said warningly.

"Sorry," she said softly. Last year, Larissa and Kayleigh had both tried out for the school play, The Princess and the Pea and Larissa had, as usual, won a bigger role than Kayleigh. "I still want to be in the play though," she said, quickly regaining her newfound attitude; one that was very similar to her sister's.

Tory just nodded, "Sounds good honey." He looked over at Ana who was concentrating on some math homework; although school hadn't even started yet, Ana was told that because she was so good in math, she was getting the chance to do some advanced work; math that the advanced 5th graders would normally do. "How's the math coming," Troy asked.

No answer.

"Ana," he said again. "Hello?"

No answer.

Kayleigh rolled her eyes, "Ana!" She screamed.

She looked up, "Huh?"

"Daddy is talking to you, duh."

"Kayleigh, attitude," Troy said crossly. He looked over at Ana, "How's the math coming?"

She shrugged, "Pretty good I think…I'm almost done," she said, getting back to it.

"Honey I don't think that the teacher said you had to finish it just yet," Troy said as he placed a hand on her shoulder, hoping she wasn't trying too hard.

She looked up at him and frowned, "But I need to!" If there was one thing Ana always needed, it was structure and routine; something that her school had both of.

"All right," he said as he kissed her head, "Just don't try too hard, okay?"

She nodded, "I know."

Larissa stomped down the stairs, "Daddy tell her I can't go to school! I can't die!" She yelled.

Troy just looked at Larissa and then at Sharpay who was behind her, "Um…I highly doubt that you're dying," he said as he saw Sharpay mouth what it was that Larissa had.

"How could you take her side?" She yelled dramatically as she placed her head in her arms and cried.

Kayleigh shook her head, "You're weird," she said as she got up and got her backpack.

"Don't start young lady," Sharpay warned. "And…have a great first day," she said as she hugged her. "Zachary, if I find out that you try to scare Tara again by placing those gummy worms in her lunch, you will not be playing basketball, got it?"

"But mommy," he tried to protest.

She simply raised an eyebrow at him.

"Fine," he said, giving in and taking out the small bag of gummy worms from his backpack. Little did she know that he had another bag in there.

Troy tried his best not to laugh; it wasn't working very well. "Ahem, what she said, Zachary," he said as he tried to keep a straight face. "Come on." He looked over at Ana who was still sitting down working on her homework, "Ana, time to go."

She looked up at him, "Okay," she said as she got up. "Mommy will I do okay?"

She nodded, "You're going to be just fine, sweetie." She hugged her and said her goodbyes to her three younger children. She then turned to Larissa, "All right my little drama queen, it's time to go."

Larissa looked up at her dad, "Daddy don't make me go!"

"Honey you'll do just fine; and no you're not dying," he said with a smile. He kissed her head and went to catch up with the others.

"Mommy I can't go," she whined as she picked up her backpack. "People will say I'm weird," she said as she looked at the little pad her mom had given her.

"No they won't," Sharpay said, stuffing it into Larissa's backpack. "And if we don't go now, you'll be receiving your very first detention."

Larissa decided that now was a good time to hurry out to the garage.

"Gets 'em every time," she said to herself as she walked into the garage.