First of all, it's all just mind over matter!

Think about it - what's the worst that can happen by just going up and talking to him/other boys? There not going to attack you - and if they say something snide or whatever, then that's their loss and your better than them, and you can find better, more respectable people to be talking to in that case!

I think you should just try and talk to this guy. Think about it though, if your going be thinking about what you can say next constantly, it's going to make conversation even more difficult! Before you speak to him, think up a few topics of conversation that you can use if need be. Music, sports, television, films, the wather (), and then if the conversation gets a bit dry, you can resort to them. My main advice to you though, is just let it all come naturally and talk to him as though you've known him for years, and just be confident within yourself that you can do it.

Once you start talking to him more, you'll become more comfortable around him and then you can decide whether or not you want him to know that you like him for definite, and see how things go from there.