What should I do?

[Equinox1]

I have extremely bad social anxiety. With some people I can speak easily and be my true self but with people I don't know well, I almost literally can't talk. I become frozen with fear and I want to talk but I feel like I can't get any words out and I just use things like smiling or nodding instead. I don't have many friends at school. Now, there's this one kid at school who has ASD and is high functioning. He doesn't have a lot of friends either but one of my friends is friends with him. I think he likes me (meaning as a friend) but hasn't really started a conversation with me, he sort of tries to get my attention without much verbal communication. I want to be his friend but I have no idea how to just randomly go up to someone and start a conversation, I sort of have but it always sound super forced because I'm trying to break the silence. Also, I don't know if I'll make him feel uncomfortable? With all of my current friends, they've talked to me first. He says some unexpected things sometimes and I don't know how to reply?

So, like I said before I really want us to become friends. I only moved to my new school last year and we haven't had an actual conversation yet but I like him and I don't want to come off as cold or hostile (which I think I do unintentionally), I want to show my actual feelings but I don't know how. I'm on summer vacation right now and it will be my second year at my school. My first question is, how am I supposed to start a conversation without being really awkward? Also, if he has ASD is there anything I should do/not do/know? Thank you :)

[Ratman1234]

Literally just go up to him or something and talk about something random. Assuming he knows who you are just go up to him and ask him something like "Have u watched the new star wars movie yet?" Or something like that. That way u can build up a conversation with him and get to know some of his intrests