I've never had a girlfriend. How do I put myself out there?

Im 21 and I've never had a girlfriend and have never had sex. I am quite shy and do get nervous around girls. I have a female friend who I really like but I feel like I just like her out of scarcity, and it isn't genuine love. What do I need to do to put myself out there more to find someone? I really want to make sure that my first time is with someone I truly love. It takes me a long time to feel comfortable with people and I am not very comfortable with physical touch yet. I am trying my best to build my life up, going to the gym and getting a proper job, feeling more comfortable in my own skin, but I feel like the love is missing.

I've never had a girlfriend. How do I put myself out there?
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