"Between Order And Randomness" is the twelfth episode of the second season of One Tree Hill and the 34th produced episode of the series. It was broadcasted on February 1, 2005. Nathan comes clean with Haley about his past relationship with Taylor, but Haley continues to keep her emails with Chris a secret. Lucas and Karen remain at odds over his refusal to take the HCM test. Meanwhile, Keith surprises Jules with a proposal, and Brooke fights for better working conditions at her new job.
Synopsis
Karen leaves Lucas in an empty room until he takes his heart test
After constantly refusing to take the heart test, Karen is furious with Lucas and takes extra action into making his life more trouble than necessary, she takes away all his belongings and puts them in the garage. Including his quilt cover for his bed and his clothes. Needing more money, Brooke goes for a job at the local crab shack. Thinking she is going to be a waitress, she pulls out all the stops for the job position. She then ends up begging the manager as she needs it for her car's insurance and she can't live without a car. The manager offers her a job like a PR. Delighted, Brooke accepts, later finding that she has to advertise the crab shack, dressed in a big crab suit saying a cheesy rhyme to everyone that passes. Lucas goes to see Dan and asks what he is doing with Keith. Dan tells him about Deb and Keith and the plan he had with Jules, but he later came to realize what he is doing and ended his deal with Jules and doesn't know why she is still around. When Haley gets up, she finds Taylor listening to Chris' music on her laptop, she shuts the laptop down telling Taylor not to listen to his music as Nathan will go mad. As she walks away, Taylor spots her tattoo. When Nathan joins them, Taylor asks when he lost his virginity, knowing Haley doesn't know it was to her. Nathan replies saying whoever his first was was not as important as his last.
Haley emails Chris without telling Nathan
Finishing her first day at work, Brooke is shocked at the way she was treated today and can't believe people have to put up with it. As she goes to get her money, she receives $15 for her 6 hours of work. She begins complaining but in the end has no option but to take it for her car MOT. Dan asks Deb if he can invite Keith and Jules round for dinner, Deb agrees if he behaves himself and Dan is more than happy to agree and later rings Keith to clarify the dinner and Keith lets an unhappy Jules know who she will be dining with. Behind Nathan's back, Haley emails Chris on his tour asking him what he is doing but is aware she can never tell anyone. Lucas tells Anna about the situation with Keith and Jules and they both try to work out what is going on, Anna then follows by telling him about Peyton and her kissing. She thinks she is avoiding her, but Lucas assures her Peyton is on a road trip for a few days. Nathan is annoyed at Taylor for her comment that morning and threatens to throw her out. Taylor responds by threatening to tell his secret to Haley and then it will be him who will be out on the street.
Brooke daydreams after shoes as a boy taunts her in the street
In her crab suit Brooke stares at expensive shoes in shop windows as she is teased by some kids. Felix goes to see her and finds it hilarious, even taking a picture of her in her new outfit before the manager tells Felix to go away whilst Brooke is at work. Lucas goes to see Keith and asks him whether he slept with Deb. Keith admits what he did and confesses that it was because he was lonely, but now he has met Jules he is happy as he believes she is 'the one.' Returning back to his room, Lucas is visited by Andy who also tries to persuade him to take the test as Karen is really worried about him, but Lucas still refuses. At the dinner, Jules has a go at Dan as they throw hints across the room at each other, meeting in private, Jules assures Dan that what her and Keith have is real. Nathan pulls Haley to one side in the cafe and tells her about when he lost his virginity to Taylor, as the news slowly sinks in, Haley walks away from him, upset with the news. At home, Taylor is talking to Chris over IM, she pretends to be Haley and flirts with him just as Haley walks in. Without realizing what she is doing, Haley argues with her over Nathan and Taylor reveals she knows about Chris, she begins to blackmail her to tell Nathan. Sick of being treated badly, Brooke tries to get the crabs to form a list of demands to hand in if the manager wants them to work, but the only way they will do it is if they won't get fired because of it, giving Brooke an idea.
Keith goes to see Lucas and admits he has not taking the test either, but it is because he is scared he will have it, but as Jules has asked him to do it, he is going to. He offers to go with Lucas to do it together. Lucas, still unsure on his decision, thanks Keith for always being there for him and lets him know he will always be there for him, no matter what. Later, Nathan and Lucas meet at the river court and Nathan tells Lucas Haley knows about him and Taylor, much to Lucas'
Anna gets Lucas to take the HCM test
amusement. Haley goes on to Chris Keller's blog and reads about what he is doing, as Nathan gets home, she closes her laptop and apologizes for over reacting, forgives him and tells him their past doesn't matter anymore. But Nathan is feeling guilty and apologizes for lying as she has always been so honest with him. Anna tells Lucas she wishes she likes just one gender, even if it is girls, but she is confused as she likes both. She tries to get Lucas to take the HCM heart test as his mom has asked her. Persuading him, she asks what he would do if it was his mom that needed the test, how would he feel, and this gets Lucas thinking. Brooke is researching history on the man at the crab shack as Felix walks in, Felix offers to help but she should be researching legal action as it is more likely to get the man into a corner he can't get out of. Dan bribes Jules at the dinner as if Keith knew, then he would never date her. Haley confides in Taylor about Chris saying that she doesn't like him it is just she is jealous of him and his music, Taylor begins to help her and the two sisters begin to bond with each other. Lucas goes to see Keith and Keith tells him that he has proposed to Jules, and Jules has agreed.
Brooke signs up as school president
The next day, Brooke gets the crabs to hand in their demands to the manager and begin to corner him into a protest so he is forced to agree with their terms including more pay and regular breaks. Pleased with herself, she returns home to celebrate with Felix, as Felix asks her about how happy she is going to be with her job, she tells him she quit but it felt good to help the less fortunate. Keith goes to see Lucas and Lucas tells him he is getting married too fast, but Keith thinks life is too short. Lucas has decided to take the test with Keith and the two go into Tree Hill Memorial Hospital. Anna sets up a new dating profile and selects the 'either' option for who she is seeking. Haley and Nathan hug and make up and are finally happy again, for the mean time anyway. Taylor goes on IM and tells Chris to stay away as Haley loves Nathan. As Lucas returns home, Karen is still furious with him for not doing the test, as she has another go at him, he tells her he has done the test and Karen is overcome with joy and hugs him to thank him. Brooke and Felix walk through the highschool corridor and as they pass the school president sign up section, Brooke signs her name after a successful run with her job. Dan goes to see Lucas and offers to keep Jules and Keith a secret, Lucas asks him to, but at what cost and Dan tells him they will work something out.
Memorable Quotes
- "I make up for my lack of experience in other ways, I'm really good with people. I mean, my friends really like me"
- "You keep this up, I'll throw you out on your ass!"
- "Or maybe, I should tell Haley about our history and then you'll be the one out on your ass"
- - Nathan Scott and Taylor James
- "How would you like a crab leg up your ass?"
- - Brooke Davis to a small child.
- "Ok, my first time was at this party at my parent's beach house, I was pretty wasted and I never really saw the girl again. Until now...Haley, I swear I hadn't even heard of you when this happened"
- "Taylor?"
- "Maybe it's ok to lie if you're doing it to protect somebody...I mean look, when you got together with Haley, you were doing it to screw with me right?...But when she found out, she was able to forgive you"
- - Lucas Scott to Nathan Scott
- "I don't agree with your decision, I don't understand and I'm not going to"
- "I took the test, we'll know in a couple of days"
- "Thank you, thank you, thank you"
- - Karen Roe and Lucas Scott
Voiceover
No Voiceover
Music
- "Whatcha Gonna Do" - High City Miles
- "Glad" - Tyler Hilton
- "South" - Mark Geary
- "Finding Out True Love Is Blind" - Lous XIV
- "Wreck Of The Day" - Anna Nalick
- "Clear My Head" - Ivy
- "No Right Angels" - Ben Lee
- "Be Mine" - Tim Cullen
- "Begin" - Ben Lee
This episode's title originated from the song Between Order And Randomness, originally sung by Shane Mills.
Trivia
- Peyton and Whitey do not appear in this episode.
- This is the first episode in which Peyton doesn't appear.