Does he feel something for me or is it a joke?

So I went to this cast party last year, and this guy introduced himself to me, let's call him Ben. Ben seemed very nice, we didn't talk much, but we'd wave in the halls at school. A while in the future, I go to this small venue concert, and guess who's there, him. Ben saw me, and waved, and stood in the front of the room (as we were there early) and I thought that at some points I could see him look at me at the corner of his eye. When the concert started, he's was all the way across the room, so I just danced by myself. Next thing you know he's next to me and telling me his friends are jerks, and being sweet to me. Making sure I was comfortable and all, I stood by his side. At one point he tried telling me something but I just couldn't hear, so he grabbed me by my head, on both sides and pulls me to him (almost like he was going to kiss me) and spoke in my ear. We then got sepparated and met up after the show, and we sat talking until he had to leave. I remember for a while that all we'd do is wave in the halls, until one day, long into the future, he gives me his number through a dm, and we start texting. And then he asked me if I wanted to get a burrito with him in a city a half hour away, my mom refused to let me go, and that was that. We started getting distant and didn't really talk much, only a few rare times he would send me something. He then graduated and we still rarely continued to talk, until not too long ago, he came to a school play I was working in and came up and talked to me for a while. I got nervous and didn't know what to talk about, and when he left my friend said she could feel the tension between us. Then a couple of days ago, he sends me a message saying "I love you", just "wanting to make sure you knew". I right off the bat believed he was either on something or drank something, because who sends that out of the blue? We continued to talk after that, until he said "we'll definitely chat tomorrow", which I was excited about, until we never did. I really think me and Ben have chemistry, but he's going to the navy soon, and he's a little too old for me. I don't know if he feels the chemistry too, or if this is a joke to him. I hope it is a real feeling of chemistry we have because my best friend is rooting for us. I'm just scared because I've been played before. Does he feel something between us? Is he interested? Will something happen or will he just go into the navy and probably not see him again? Please help, this has been rattling my brain for so long, I need closure.

if you want to be realistic - you didn't see this man that much over time - only a couple of times here and there - and - he's obviously busy with his life elsewhere (graduation and soon navy) maybe he likes you but reality is there to show that in a concrete way - not much is quite possible : so I would suggest you keep in touch as friends (why not - if he wishes so too) but move on - don't invest in him romantically - there is not enough here to support you investing yourself seriously - don't hang on to him - play it cool and detached and get busy with your life :)