Like or doesn't like me

Okay so theirs this guy that I like when I was in middle school. I never liked him in elementary school, I barely knew him. When I entered middle school we had only two classes science and home & careers. In home & careers he would be staring at me (it's like he never blinks). So then I started to like him, but I started having doubts when he started moving seats so I thought that he trying to get away from me, but since I was a good drawer he wanted to be my partner for a project and would always make me laugh. Since junior high we did not speak to each other at all but when my friend would be bringing me up in anything their talking about. she asked him if he liked me he said ummmm no she asked why and he said that i am pretty prettier than a girl (Nicole) which is sooooooo true but he said because I am tall and he likes short girls. I was shocked cuz were like the same height and he just dated this girl that is the same height as him (they broke up). Is he hiding his feelings for me? Does he like me or doesn't like me?