I guess my advice is you’re wanting to be a friend to someone in particular is to really listen to them. When they tell you about something going on in their life, try to imagine what is like for them - what it would be like for you. Feed that back to them (“Wow, I’d be nervous if that was me, were you nervous?” and that kind of thing). Be genuinely interested in what’s going on with them.

I’m glad you found someone who seems to care about you. Good luck.