Inexperienced and don't know how to go about pursuing someone - help?

I'm a 17 year old girl and I haven't had a relationship before. Up until now, I've never really had proper feelings for anyone apart from a few meaningless 'crushes' (for want of a better word) when I was younger and going through school. Now that I'm 17 I feel like I'm ready for something more lasting and meaningful and for a while now I've really, really liked a guy in my year at Sixth Form. We have really similar taste in music and just generally similar views on things and lots in common, which is part of the reason I like him so much (and obviously a good basis to get to know someone). We both went to the same party recently and talked for quite a while about music and stuff and I felt like we really hit it off, although alcohol definitely helped us both come out of our shells. The problem though, is that I'm painfully shy and lacking in confidence and I really struggle to talk to people who I don't know very well, so I don't know how to go about talking to him at school when we're both sober etc. (he's quite introverted as well I think). I don't get many opportunities to be able to talk to him on his own or have a proper conversation really. I've never felt more serious about anyone/anything and I really want to get to know him more because I want to become friends with him first and foremost because I think a lot of the best relationships start from really solid friendships. I'm just not sure how to go about getting to know him and potentially making this happen. My friend suggested I start a casual conversation on Facebook, but I don't want to rely on the security of being behind screen, I want to do it face to face. I'm just a bit confused about this and inexperienced when it comes to relationships. Also when do you think is the right point to tell someone how you feel about them? I wouldn't want to spring something like that on someone until I knew them well, otherwise it'd be a bit creepy maybe. I'd appreciate any advice so much. Thanks in advance.

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