You should just be honest with him. If you think he likes you then most likely he does. You should ask him to hang out sometime and when you hang out you should tell him you like him.
Just make sure that if you do hang out you tell him the first time you hang out that you like him that way you will never end up in the "friend zone". Worst case scenario he won't want to hang out or he won't like you back and in that case you are still very young and you will find someone who is worth it no matter what. Last but not least you HAVE to be confident in yourself.
Try not to seem nervous and just be yourself, guys can't resist a girl who is 100% happy with herself.
I wouldn't go ask what he looks for in a girl, instead what I would do is casually say "we should hang out sometime" that way if he says yes, awesome make plans. If he doesn't really respond then he may not be interested and you can leave it alone and move on. This way you're not putting yourself way out there.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.