If you want to have a chance with him... then you need to do damage control quick!
The sooner you admit your feelings... explain your negative reaction... and apologize for bruising his ego.. the better.
In the future... realize it's ok to admit you like someone... people really could care less... it's just mindless gossip to add to their daily conversations. Nothing really to worry about.
So what if you like him? To most of the people it's just so-and-so who likes so-and-so. And that could change from one day to the next.
"The weakest soul, knowing its own weakness, and believing this truth that strength can only be developed by effort and practice, will, thus believing, at once begin to exert itself, and, adding effort to effort, patience to patience, and strength to strength, will never cease to develop, and will at last grow divinely strong."
- James Allen