Gay guy keeps looking at me the way a straight guy would.

When I (F21) first met him (25), I wasn’t aware that he was gay. He kept looking at me and the the vibe between us felt a bit awkward—though that might just be because I'm a shy person. I assumed that since I often caught him watching me, he was attracted to me. After he went home, my friend told me he was gay and had dated girls when he was younger but is now, to quote her, “extremely gay.” This surprised me because of the way he was acting toward me.

Today was the second time I was around him. It felt less awkward, and we talked a little bit, but the same thing happened again: he kept looking at me and watching me. I don’t doubt that he is gay, especially since he makes comments and jokes alluding to it. However, I’m confused about why he seems to be eyeing me often, just like a straight guy would.

Could it be that he thinks I’m pretty or attractive, similar to how girls admire each other even if they're not gay?