Girls

I think I might have been reading too much on the fact that you seem a bit depressed. But, I was also depressed once, and honestly it didn't have any affect on me and the way I would feel about a girl.

If you are just looking for a companion (because you can hang out with them too, without being in a serious relationship) I think you should just try to find some buddies. And the ones that you do have online (Maplestory, forums, etc) can be considered real companions (even though many may argue against that). I spent most of my high school days talking to a friend on AIM and if we were in real life we would only be talking anyways, so it doesn't make it any less of a conversation.

If you do want a real relationship though, I think you should go for it. You can't really cure shyness, but you can be more assertive, such as saying hello or good morning to a fellow classmate. Hell the person I am going out with right now used to think I was weird in high school ....And nothing happened until I actually started talking to her. You might just need to break the awkwardness barrier first, then become friends, and if you end up clicking then bam. Don't try to be friends with a girl just because you like her, and I also advise you to not get into such a serious relationship because you might end up parting ways for college (it's a heartbreaker) and if you don't break up be prepared for some hellish days.