Search Results: guys being protective

Okay so basically I've been friends with this guy for a couple of months now and we've always just been really friendly but lately he's been acting as if he has taken and interest in me. Is he or is he just being a good friend? Here's why I think he might like me.
1. He always gets really defensive about me. (I'm in highschool by the way so the age on this profile is misleading, typo) when people pick on me or make slight cracks. Believe me, I am not harshly bullied in anyway but when I do get picked on he gets overly protective. for example today this boy was kind of teasing me and after the boy was staring at me for a while my friend got in front of me and yelled "it's rude to stare!" Like no way he's spoken before and there's also been other times when people have bumped into me and he'd yell at them. it's not like how he defends our other friends.
2. He's constantly wanting to hang out and text 24/7 . Is it friendly or is it flirty?
3. While we were skating the other night he grabbed my hand. I was already holding my other ffiends hand and when they were holding hands he wanted me to switch places with her so he could hold mine and teach me how to skate.
There has also been other signs that he likes me but these are just a few. What do you think??

I really like this guy, but I think he's liked me before I've liked him. What do you think?
He:
- Makes sure to say hello to me everyday
- Makes conversation with me at most possible chances
- Tells me about little things in his life
- Texts me back, even if there was nothing to talk about (and he always boasts about how he doesn't respond to pointless texts)
- We've kind of flirted, but that was months ago
- When I told him I'd never been bridge jumping, he insisted that I let him take me, and wouldn't take no for an answer
- Wrote "Snap me ;) :*" next to his Snapchat name when he put it into my notes
- Strikes up a conversation when he sees me
- Isn't afraid to talk to me around any of his friends, despite him being older than me
- My best friend told me he "definitely has a crush on me" before she knew I liked him
- Another one of my best friends is constantly trying to set us up, but doesn't know I like him
- I always catch him staring at me when we're around; if I turn around at any given time, he's looking my way, but doesn't react when I look back
- He gets really protective when something happens to me; we've been getting in trouble lately and if he or one of our other friends gets in trouble he's okay with it, but if it's me, ABSOLUTELY NOT!
- He hasn't done this recently, but up until about a month ago he'd try to sit next to me, touch me, hold my hand, etc. when he could
- When he was trying to get my attention, he kept yelling out my name, and one of our other friends shouted "HE HAS A CRUSH ON YOU!" Instead of denying it, he hid his face, kept blushing, and never really denied it
- He whispered something in the ear of one of our friends, and he said that he had said something really perverted about me, and suddenly he began blushing and apologizing and insisting that wasn't what he said (I believe him, though)
- My sister lied to him and said that I "never stop tal