The Locker Slip-Up

Lexile: 780 | Grade: 6

Passage

Jasmine stared at her locker, heart pounding. She had been at her new middle school for two weeks, but the locker still refused to open. Her hands shook as she tried the code again—17, 3, 24. Nothing. The hallway buzzed with students, and she felt their eyes on her, though no one was actually looking.

Just then, Mr. Lopez, the math teacher, walked by. 'Need help?' he asked kindly. Jasmine nodded, embarrassed. He showed her how to pull the handle up *after* turning the last number. With a click, the locker opened. Jasmine smiled, relieved but also frustrated she hadn’t figured it out before.

'Don't worry,' Mr. Lopez said. 'Almost everyone messes up at first.'

The next day, Jasmine tried again—this time alone. Her fingers hesitated, but she remembered Mr. Lopez’s tip. 17, 3, 24—click! It opened. She felt a small spark of pride. No one cheered. No one noticed. But inside, Jasmine felt different.

Later that week, a classmate named Zoe stood frowning at her own locker. 'These things are impossible!' she muttered. Jasmine smiled and walked over. 'Want help?' she offered. Zoe looked surprised, then nodded. Jasmine guided her through it, step by step. When Zoe's locker opened, she gave Jasmine a high five.

That moment was small, but it mattered. Jasmine had gone from feeling lost to helping someone else. Maybe middle school wouldn’t be so bad after all.