After Lucas crowns another good game with the winning point, Nathan switches to plan B, inviting him to a party at his dad's luxurious beach house where he cleverly humiliates him with a truth game and a video of Lucas ma calling Dan her dream husband. After Lucas walks out livid, Haley is stranded, accepts a ride back from Nathan in Peyton's car and accepts to keep tutoring him since failing grades would kill all his and Dan's dreams. On his way back Nathan crashes into Lucas in the car of one of Keith's clients; Nathan thinks he can bluff his way out making Tim his false witness, but there are nasty consequences for both brothers, their girls friends and their parents.

While Nathan is unconscious in the hospital, he dreams a nightmare alternative version of his life, in which Dan married Karen and lives with her and Lucas, while Keith is the successful car dealer, Dan is assistant coach and trains Lucas as the Ravens star. Nathan is the poor underdog living with Deb -who runs the café- but may still be recommended for Highflyers by coach Whitey if he wins a duel; Haley is his girlfriend, Brooke makes a pass at him. Karen cheats on Dan with Keith. Peyton goes steady with Lucas but tells Haley to warn Nathan about Lucas' dirty plans; Dan's attempt to bribe Nathan off actually motivates him to fight, so he is abducted, bound and dumped by Lucas's Ravens hardcore. Peyton dumps Lucas, who loses the duel after she picked Nathan up.