I like a guy but I'm not sure if he likes me back or where to take it?

Right ok, I like this guy who's in my school year, he's younger than be by about 9 months but I don't mind that (seeing as he's taller than me anyway :P). He's really funny and we get along well as we enjoy the same things, I've had a on off fancying thing for him as sometimes I felt he didn't like me or someone else liked him. I'm friends with his friends and he's with mine. But I feel like he doesn't like me back as he seems to talk to others and after people started mocking us and saying we should go out. Yesterday I started a conversation with him around a few other friends, it was going well and others were joining in we were having a laugh, but then he kinda went off into a full convo with one of my female friends and they blocked me out, and I felt really jealous as they seemed to just kick it off and she'd said before that he's really funny etc. And earlier tonight he texted me out of the blue saying "hi how're you?" which is unusual because he rarely texts back Nevermind starting a convo. So I'm kinda torn and confused of how he feels about me, we have a really good friendship and I wouldn't want to ruin it. Any suggestions on what I should do next?