I have to agree exactly with what your friend said. Ive definitelyyyy has this happen to me with a friend who did very similar things. I liked him and turns out he liked me back, told me it out of the blue one day when we were hanging out. Then proceeded to tell me he doesn’t like what our friends think of me and my reputation is bad so that he can’t be with me. Fast forward i fall in love with him anyway and he breaks my heart because i’m not girlfriend material, despite us being totally compatible. Umm with what your friend said, I say he does like you but if he’s ever ashamed of it in one way or another then he’s truly an asshole and doesn’t deserve to be with you more than a friend. No one should be ashamed of you if they like you i’m just saying