Guy's Behavior

Is he playing me?

So, I recently went out with a group of friends and, in that group, there was some guy that does enjoy picking up with me (it's 5th-grade style, though. Absolutely ridiculous. I’m pretty sure already that he’s into me; he’s very touchy and whenever we’re alone tries to use words of affirmation - such as pretty, beautiful, gorgeous - to refer to me. However, I’ve started to question his motives/strategy for getting me to like him. At the event mentioned above, during the whole evening, he wasn’t giving me attention at all - he was, instead, involved in a sort of chatty conversation with another girl at the place, something that he avoided having with me - and when he did talk to me it was to criticize something or say that he didn’t like me much (?) in a jokingly tone. Then, after the event, we took the same bus home and I questioned his behavior during the ride, to which he answered: “You’re nice, you’re too nice. You soo nice that there has to be some animosity so that you don’t flatter yourself much”.

I mean? I'm not the arrogant type AT ALL, the dude doesn't even know me !!

Guys, please, give me your take on this. I would like to know how to act in this situation, when it comes to romantic relationships, I'm used to people that are more straightforward and that tell me what they mean. I’m not particularly into the guy and having to guess makes it probably not worth it for me. However, I guess would love to play along so that he wouldn’t feel like he’s got the upper hand.
Is he playing me?
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