Need help understanding his messages

Hi so I guess this has been hard to let go of because it was my first real "relationship" where I had a lot of feelings a trust for a guy. We're both young and he's not the most mature. He's said some things to me that have pissed me off and for a while i tried tolerating it in hopes he would turn around but he crossed the line and it was a tough time in my life academically and personally and I went NC on him for a month and 1/2 so I could calm down and heal. He tried reaching out a couple times, and finally I felt okay at the thought of talking to him and I messaged back.

My question is how i read his behavior now, because I am confused. We were messaging over the course of a few days, about a car I saw that was like his, then he asked about my new job, and then he asked how come I chose to reply and that he thought I hated him. I avoided the hated part and said I just felt like it. Then on new years he's like okay and we texted more than the last few days that night. I said happy New Year and he said happy New Year to you too cutie, and then he asked for a selfie and I was like why and he said I wanna see you and so I sent him one and he said "looking good" and eventually he also commented on my lips and said they looked "lonely". I replied and I was haha [my name] the owner of lonely lips (I didn't really know what to say). And then he never said anything and left it read for over a week.

I'll get over him eventually, but I'm just wondering what you would think in this situation.... I'm not really mad or anything because I know I blocked him out for a long time but I guess I'm just curious what you'd think is going on in his head...