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Paying rent and my name is on the bills. that s when i will feel secure. can t nobody do me like i can do me. can t nobody take care of me like i can take care of me. reporter: they are staying with their friend, terry. chocolate s already shaky confidence and it takes a hit. he made a comment that made me really, really edgy. he s like, well, wouldn t you rather pick something battery operated as opposed to something plug-in just in case you go back to that situation? you are already insinuating i might go back to that situation. suddenly you have to go and be ready to go. i keep my stuff packed. why? because i know how the [ bleep ] goes. i m ready for it. i don t pay the rent here. i just stay here. reporter: nikki has camped in the woods and slept behind dumpsters but for now this room in a run-down house a few blocks from the drag is home. for a small price nikki and many of the drag rats can stay there. i sleep here. ....
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Getting a job and going to school. and that s just too much stuff all at once for me. i think i with freak out and leave like i usually do. reporter: in addition to the clothes, life works buys nikki a bike so she can get to a job far from the drag. nikki s case management also includes attending a weekly meeting to talk about her goals. what did you do last week, jobwise is our main goal here. so let s work on that. i applied at a couple of places last week. reporter: nikki realizes her drink sing getting in the way of finding a job. and sets a new goal. i don t have to drink all day. maybe i will just have a drink after nighttime. okay. that s mainly mostly why i lost my shoes. ....
Have a fairy tale can you spare any change today, by any chance? okay. no acknowledgement. no change or acknowledgment. my name is nikki. i m 21. and i have been running away from home since i was 14. reporter: nikki like most austin street kids makes her home on the drag across from the university of texas campus. we drink, panhandle and get harassed by the cops and college students every day. i don t know why we waste our time. we do. reporter: on the drag, the street kids, known as drag rats, ....
the best thing about being on the streets is you don t have to listen to anyone and you can do whatever you want. i don t have like a cell phone bill. i don t have a car payment and i don t have insurance to pay. i don t have to wake up at 6:00 in the morning and get yelled at by my boss. reporter: nikki acknowledges freedom does come with a price. the worst thing about being on the streets is it can drive you crazy because you eventually stop caring about much and you turn into like a wing nut or something. the streets can drive you crazy, definitely. reporter: chocolate is working hard to get off the streets. one night on the drag jeopardizes everything. ....