Is this wrong?

I am a senior in high school & I am 18 years old. I am super outgoing and I absolutely love to make people laugh. I go to a small school & live in a small community, where everyone knows everyone. I am well known through my talkitive personality and my leadership on my basketball team. Here lately, I've became really good friends with a boy in 9th grade. I literally can talk to him about absolutely anything, and the connection I have with him is unreal. We have only been talking for about a month, & I feel a stronger connection with him than I ever did with a boy I dated for 2 years. I can't control these emotions I am feeling. And yes, I know that he is 15 & that I am 18. And yes, I know it is illegal, but I have not acted upon my emotions towards him. We keep things on a friend level, but I'm scared that our connection will eat away at the both of us until we can't stand being apart. If anyone found out that I liked him, my reputation could be tarnished. No one should find out if we continue the path of strictly friendship. It's killing me because I feel like an awful person for having feelings for a boy 3 years younger than me. Honestly, am I an awful person? How wrong is it? All opinions are appreciated. Thank you in advance❤️