Friends? Or maybe more: wouldn't V Day be the perfect time to seal the deal with the guy friend you really want as a BF? Um, maybe. Before ya make a move, here's how to be certain.

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He laughs at your jokes, listens to all your probs and never misses a Monday playing Mario Kart with you. Toss in the fact that he has dreamier eyes than Zac Ef, and is it any wonder you're crushing your brains out? The only catch: He's your BGF. You don't wanna declare you're diggin' on him, find out he doesn't feel the same, then see your friendship deflate like a week-old helium balloon. So fish for clues.

EYE SPY

Guys are visual, so if he secretly likes-you-like-that, he'll scope you. He won't make lovey-dovey eyes--he'll do it on the DL. So you've gotta pull a full-on Nancy Drew to catch him glancing your way. Next time you hit the library, grab the seat across the table from him. Stick your nose in a book, but be sure you can see him from the corner of your eye.

Give it five seconds--if he's into you, he won't be able to resist stealing a look. Now wait another sec or so. If he does another covert check-out, accidentally-on-purpose meet his glance and smile. If he smiles back really fast and gets a little red-faced--jackpot city!

GIRLY GAUGE

The way he talks about other chicas can provide some 411. If your pal likes you, he'll likely do one of two things: 1) play the jealousy card by amping up his interest in other girls or 2) act completely oblivious to the girls in his orbit.

Casually say, "Wanna bet Lisa gets voted Winter Dance Princess? Every guy in class thinks she's gorgeous." If he's wavy over your gravy, he might blurt, "Lisa? Gorgeous? I never noticed!" He may even say it twice to make sure you get his hit-ya-over-the-head-with-a-rock-filled-snowball point.

DIG FOR THE DEETS

Since you guys are tight, he knows your likes and dislikes--you're a Tom Brady fan, you hate the color green, yada, yada. If he's groovin' on you, he'll look for ways to prove he's paying attention to the little things that make you, well, you.

Test it: Tell him about the time your bro chased you with a rotten tomato when you were 6, so you've hated them ever since. If he makes a big deal out of ordering a tomato-free Whopper for you at BK, that says the small details that make you feel good matter to him.

FEAR FACTOR

You've done a lot of fun stuff together. Paintball. Slipknot concert. Death-slope sledding. Lately, though, your boy is less daring in your presence. Weird, considering you know each other so well, but no matter how often a guy has made a fool out of himself in front of you, once he's smitten, he'll be leery of treating you like one of the guys.

If he pulls back from chili cheese fries pig-outs/fartfests, steer stuff in a new direction. Suggest a mellow night out, like dinner and a movie--yep, something a little more date-ish. If he jumps at the chance, things are lookin' good.

THE REAL REVEAL

If you two want to get closer, honesty is important. Sure, you've always been able to talk to him, but maybe not on a way-deep level. Well, this might be the time to let him in on that secret you haven't shared with anyone--like how you're nearly failing trig. How he reacts will tell a lot. A guy who wants to deepen the bond may stun you by revealing an extra-deep secret right back.

Or ... maybe he'll clam up. And, yep, this could mean he's fine with being pals only. Don't be hurt or mad. You know where you stand, and you haven't done anything bold or awkward to trip up the friendship. No harm, no foul.