I don't know what to do

[mdfootball]

So i'm a 17 year old junior in high school (M), and i have been having some really confusing encounters in the past school year. I am a closeted homosexual, and have the worlds greatest attraction to this boy who i share over half my classes with. he is blonde and athletic; he plays three sports. I think its past the point of being a crush, because i can't stop thinking about him no matter where i am, or what i'm doing. He claims to be straight, but we flirt all the time and he doesn't seem to mind when i put my hand on his knee or put my hand over his, but he will sometimes randomly pull away or act weird around me. I think he might be the one for me, but i feel like we have cooped up emotions for each other that can make things really awkward. how can i tell him how i feel about him without loosing him as a friend? I'm always there for him, and he is there for me, and we go to each others games and stuff, but i don't know if he has the same feelings for me as i do him. what do you guys think?; i'm kinda running out of people to talk to...

[Living For Love]

It would help if you first found out about his perspective on the LGBT community. See if he accepts it or not. Then, you could tell him progressively you like him more than only a friend. Don't tell him like: "I have a crush on you.", out of the blue, but tell him instead you really appreciate the moments when you two are together, flirty comments like these, and then he'll probably get the message. Just remember that, if he's straight, there's nothing you can do to change it, so be careful.