As you said, you cannot force someone to have feelings for you. Sometimes it can be impossible to determine how someone feels about you purely from the way they are behaving. You need to ask outright or put him in a situation where he needs to say that he likes you or not. If you have a feeling that he may like you then pursue it, go for it. You have nothing to lose. Ask him the question. When you and your friends hang out again, make sure you and him have a really good day and at the end get him on his own and have a 'truth' with him. Tell him that you think you like him and that you think he likes you too.
Or you could subtly ask him on a date, like ask him if he wants to go out for the day or round your house to hang out. If he says yes to spending time with you on your own then chances are that he likes you back.
I wish you the best of luck with this. If you need to message me then please do.
-Cara