In the emergency room, he fantasizes about his new flame Cassie but still texts his ex (and her best friend) Maddy, “I love you always and forever.” Both ladies helped bring him to the hospital, by the way.

Nate's dad is intent on finding out who beat him, likely so he can retaliate on his own terms, and even stops by the Howards' home to interrogate Cassie and Lexi. He threatens to call the police, which would lead to an investigation that would involve searching their past texts, and Cassie, scared that her messages to Nate would come to light, confesses that Fezco is the culprit. Lexi, who's caught feelings for Fez after talking to him on New Year's Eve (before her beat Nate to a pulp), goes to the convenience store where he works, perhaps to warn him, but Nate's dad arrives while she's there. He vaguely intimidates Fez then leaves.

Nate and Cassie know they should stop seeing each other, but of course they don't. They secretly meet and drive to an under-construction housing development for a hookup. Up until this point, Cassie was distraught with guilt; if Maddy ever finds out she's been secretly sleeping with Nate, she's dead meat.

And while Maddy is in the dark (or so we think) about the affair for now, fans are berating Cassie from the other side of the screen in the meantime.

To make matters worse, Maddy is still in love with her ex. She tells Jules she's thinking of getting back together with Nate, even though she knows it's a bad idea. Jules tells her she wishes Maddy could see herself as the rest of the world sees her. (We agree!)

Jules and Rue's relationship is off to a rocky start when Jules suspects Rue has a crush on Elliot, her new friend from the New Year's Eve party. While Rue denies the accusation, she has been secretly hanging out and doing drugs with Elliot, and hiding her relapse from Jules. She can't hide her usage from Ali, though, and after their latest Narcotics Anonymous meeting, he drives her home and introduces himself to her mom.