I Think I'm Sorta Kinda Maybe in Love

Well, obviously something sparked inside my heart and cupid decided to do a full intervention into my love life. I first felt the sting of his arrow freshman year when I noticed a guy staring at me from across the crowded cafeteria at lunch time. Also, he magically seems to be in my line of sight all the time and he always ends up in the same places that I am. I had always liked him to an extent, even though were only just acquaintences. it's been three years and I still can't tell if he likes me or not. I've had a strong gut feelings since I first saw him, but I just don't understand why he would like me when there are so many other girls that would be more than happy to go out with him. He's funny, charming, really nice, and really cute! Whatever he sees in me, I'm just glad that he saw it in the first place. I'm 17 years old and I've never been in love like this before. I've had crushes in the past, but never one like this. We have so much in common and I've finally found someone who I want to be with. He still looks at me every time I see him, but I've never done this before so I'm not sure how to go about doing this. What if it's only been my imagination that he's been watching and thinking of me...for the past three years? It seems so silly that I'm so worried, but I just want to talk to him and get to know him without seeming too forward about it, be subtle, you know? The problem is that I am rediculously shy. What the heck would I say to him? I don't want to intimidate him or freak him out by instantly jumping to a relationship. I don't know him and he doesn't know me, so how do I find out for sure if he likes me before I make a move without being all weird and awkward about it? I'm in love and there's nothing I can do about it.