Years after her older sister's death, Alexis is granted a swimming scholarship to the University of Texas in Austin. Her first day in a new city is fine until she is attacked and nearly raped by a drunken homeless man. She is saved by a boy about her age, who she then spends the next few days following around, eventually falling for the homeless boy named Jack. But, Jack has his own battles to deal with, including homelessness, a meth-addicted mother, and a nasty heroin addiction. Alexis figures out a way to help him, but she has no idea what it really means to be a drug addict.