does he possibly like me or am I crazy??

i told this guy I liked him like a year ago. for background, he's very introverted and is very inexperienced and like sheltered too. I really didn't know him well back then honestly. he barely ever intiated anything, it was always me. so no surprise, he ended up telling me he didn't feel the same.

so I accepted it. I even thought he liked someone else! well then he ended up acting strange around me and always intiating conversations. it kept just getting weirder because he started "complimenting" me? but really oddly. like, only cheering me on during a group game, praising me for very small things I do. like one time he said it was intelligent for me to wear a jacket when it was 14 degrees outside? like just trying to start conversations from anything.

he started staring at me but looking away right when I looked at him. or like scanning the area then slowly looking at me (idk how to explain it properly omg😭). then his mom got involved for some reason. like his mom is always inviting me to stuff where he will also be. she could just be really friendly tho? maybe he looks at me to make sure I'm not looking at him?

but well, if he likes me, why doesn't he just ask me out or tell me he likes me? I really can't read him. I don't want to risk being rejected twice. so I just feel like I'm overthinking it!