Is this love or another infatuation?

Alright, I’ll make this as quick as possible for those of you who may hate what I’m going to say.

I have been through many crushes before and have fallen yet again but am unsure whether it is real this time or just another infatuation. Anyway, I am supposedly ‘in love’ with this freshman college student which at first I thought would never work since I’m only 15 but when you think about it, that’s only three years apart. He’s known me since I was in seventh grade but I haven’t seen him since and I have been through a lot of changes since then. So the first few days we met he tried to converse with me, but I, being a shy person, only answered him with a few timid ‘yeahs’ and nods. But one day I was feeling particularly confidant and happy with myself. He made one of his witty comments towards me expecting a shy smile but instead I, unthinkingly, snapped back with a witty reply and left him speechless. Ever since that day, we have talked a bit more and I have caught him looking at me thoughtfully but I am unsure what he means by it. As my fantasies flew away with me a friend of mine, unaware of my feelings, informed me that he had a girlfriend around his college age whom he has been with for some time now, at least a month. My heart sank. I’ve been avoiding him since, trying not to hurt myself. I nearly cried and tried with all my might to forget him and move on but I find myself having trouble. I want to love him, I don’t want to forget him. It has been easy to forget before but with him it’s different.

If anyone has any helpful comments or suggestions, I’m open for them. Wish me luck with this young romance…