Secrets & Songbooks

"Secrets & Songbooks" is the third episode in Season 1 of Austin & Ally. It first aired on December 11, 2011.

Overview
Ally loses her song writing book, which is also her top secret diary, so she and Trish comb the mall looking for it, not knowing that Austin and Dez have already found it and read it, revealing that Ally has a secret crush (Dallas). When Austin is convinced it's him through the clues given in the book, he tries to find a way to let Ally know they're just friends in a nice way but his plan doesn't work out as expected.

Episode Summary
The episode starts off in Sonic Boom when Ally is working and the boys are adding annoying musical accompaniments, and Trish reveals her latest job: working at the Make Up Kiosk, and how she booked Austin a TV gig on a famous show called South Beach Sound. They start complaining about how Ally needs to finish writing a new song, since South Beach Sound wants one by tomorrow when Austin performs. She reassures them, saying she has tonnes of ideas in her songwriting book, but freaks out when she can't find it. Austin tries to relax her, saying it's just a normal book, but she reveals that it's also her secret diary, and that she would die if anyone reads it.

The four of them decide to try and search for the book. Ally and Trish set out to look around the mall, while Dez uses his 'superhuman sense of smell' to find the book in the store. Dez eventually finds it, (after he remembers he used it as a roof for his gingerbread house) and they initially wanted to find Ally and give the book to her, but get tempted by what could be inside the book. They realize Ally has a crush on someone. Meanwhile, Ally admits her crush on the 'Cell Phone Accessory Guy' to Trish. However, in her book, she describes him quite vaguely: "...kind eyes, hair that flops just the right way. We work so close to each other, and yet we're so far apart, and he smells like a fresh summer breeze. And what is cooler than a guy named after a city in Texas?", leading Dez and Austin to believe she has a crush on Austin, when in reality, the 'Cell Phone Accessory Guy's named Dallas.

Austin worries about how to let Ally know they're just good friends. When they tell Ally they found her book, it convinces Austin even more when Ally hugs him and says "I love you, I love you, I love you!" when really, she's just grateful he found her book. Ally leads them up to the Practice Room, and they start to write a song. Ally wants it to be a love song, when Austin responds with a 'Like Song' and they end up writing "A Love/Like Song". Ally is about to tell him about her crush on Dallas, but Austin believes she's about to tell him she loves him, and he runs away,with his hands covering his ears.

Ally and Trish are out in the mall, and Ally tells Trish about her worries of how strange Austin was acting. She speculates whether Austin is nervous about appearing on South Beach Sound. However, Dez (who is building a roof for his gingerbread house, and overhears them) tells them Austin never gets nervous. But Dez's nervous and twitchy behavior gets the girls suspicious, and after 'torturing' him by biting the head off one of his gingerbread men, he reveals that Austin read Ally's diary, and thinks Ally has a crush on him. Ally and Trish quickly concoct a plan for revenge.

Ally makes an Austin dummy and starts kissing him when Austin visits. She starts writing in her book, and Trish, playing along, asks her what she's writing. Ally responds that she's writing all the things she hates that guys do, making sure Austin is in earshot. They then leave, leaving the book on the counter, and Austin quickly reads it, finding out Ally hates guys who use fake tans and sweat a lot. Austin appears later, bright orange with damp patches under his armpits. Dez gives him a 'Volcano Pepper' but Austin eats too much, and starts to really sweat. A cameraman apparent news team comes in, saying they're from South Beach Sound, and Austin gets really embarrassed in front of them. Ally reveals she knows that Austin read her journal, and this was her revenge, but assures him this isn't South Beach Sound. However, Trish forgot to tell Ally that they were on the Mall JumboTron, and Ally accidentally reveals her crush on Dallas. Austin apologizes, and Ally forgives him. The episode ends with Austin singing their new song "Not a Love Song" on South Beach Sound.

Featured Songs

 * Not a Love Song (premiere)
 * Can't Do It Without You (theme song)

Main Cast

 * Ross Lynch as Austin Moon.
 * Laura Marano as Ally Dawson.
 * Raini Rodriguez as Trish.
 * Calum Worthy as Dez.

Guest Stars

 * Cole Sand as Nelson.
 * Noah Centineo as Dallas.
 * Carlos Santos as Interviewer.
 * Lawrence Adimora as Host.
 * Gabriel Benitez as Keyboard Player.
 * Patrick J. Nicolas as Lead Guitar.

Trivia

 * Austin and Ally almost had their first hug in this episode.
 * This episode marks the first appearance of Dallas.
 * The violin rack has a sign over it reading "H&K Instruments." "H&K" refers to Kevin & Heath Productions, the company run by Kevin Kopelow and Heath Seifert, which make the show Austin & Ally.
 * In the scene where it reveals Ally has a crush on Dallas, she says: "Holy unlimited texting! He is so cute!" because he works at the Cell Phone Accessory Cart. However, that shop sells cell phone accessories, not phones themselves.
 * Austin's sweat was only on the front of his t-shirt, the back was completely dry.
 * This episode premiered to 3.4 million viewers.
 * In this episode, Trish says to Ally "What private thoughts do you have in your book of secrets Ally?". She might be referring to the hit Clearstime BABYSITTER episode "The Book of Secrets."
 * Ally's line about "getting bit by a rattlesnake on the lips" was previously used in another It's a Laugh production; specifically the Shake It Up! episode "Age It Up."
 * Trish is hired and fired from the Make-Up Kiosk.
 * It is mentioned in this episode that Trish once worked at the Lost & Found.
 * The episode title refers to Ally's songbook disappearing, and Austin and Dez finding out some of the secrets her book contained.
 * It is ironic how Ally does not have a crush on Austin in this episode, and more than a year later, in Girlfriends & Girl Friends, she realizes she actually does.
 * This episode showed Dez's love with gingerbread men.