It's a chilly December evening. Rachel and her best friend, Sara, walked down a snow-covered road, finishing up their shopping spree for Rachel's birthday.
Sara's favorite pastime was teasing Rachel with corny jokes and playful insults. Rachel retaliated with witty comebacks, but Sara's jokes got the better of her. In a moment of jest, Sara pushed Rachel, who lost her balance and fell onto the road with her shopping bags.
As Rachel gathered her belongings, Sara laughed and continued to tease her. Unbeknownst to them, a boy named Michael watched from afar.
Suddenly, Michael noticed a truck careening towards the girls. He sprinted towards Rachel and pushed her to safety just in time. The truck veered off course, and Rachel stumbled, but Michael caught her.
"Are you out of your mind?" Rachel scolded, her anger boiling over. "Why did you push me?"
Michael apologized profusely. "I'm sorry, ma'am. I thought the truck would hit you. I didn't mean to startle you."
Rachel's anger still simmered as she stormed off with Sara.
_Michael thought to himself: Wow, she's really short-tempered._
"Guess I got saved by a hero," Rachel said dryly.
Sara chuckled. "I thought you'd rip him apart."
Rachel shot Sara a look. "Shut up."
Sara grinned. "Okay, okay."
Despite her prickly exterior, Rachel was a kind soul with a soft spot for animals and loved ones. As a senior veterinarian at "Paw Hospital," she was adored by her patients and colleagues.
Sara, on the other hand, was a junior archaeologist with a passion for discovery and exploration. The two friends had been inseparable since age 13, weathering life's ups and downs together.