What kind of relationship do you think this is?.?

Ohkaay. Well i have a best friend whos a guy. Im in 8th grade hes in 7th. Im hes always suppper nice to me. he'll be a sweet heart and say stuff like "Your the prettiest girl i know" or when my Ex called me a ***** i cried to him and he was like "ill kill him", Hes always got my back. And well be on the fone and well joke around and we always go "lmao i love you" but just as friends. He knows im real sensitive. All my secrets. He knows what not to joke around about me with. Like one time our friend waas scaring the **** out of me. Like he was making me scared about illuminati and our friend kept texting me. And as usual i go to him and he stayed on the fone with me till i fell asleep. And it was a school day. Also one time me and my other friend got into a fight and she called me and put him on the fone and was like who do u like better skyler or me and he was like you then hung up. and after than i hung up the fone and idk why but i cried for hours. and then he called me and he was like hey sorry about that i knew you were on the fone... you know i like you better but i was with my mom and didnt want to get introuble for talking on the fone so i lied then hung up.. but youll always be my favorite no matter what. And i dont get it. i dont know how i feel about him. Its wierd. Like whenever he walks to me i get this warm feeling. But hes 12 turning 13 in a month. And i just turned 14 last month. So i know i dont like him because i refuse to let myself like him. but i dont know how i feel. Like... its confusing