I'm going to lead on my friend
Why do you need to lead them on?
I really like them and feel like i deserve them.
No matter if you feel like you deserve them, it is wrong to deceive them like this. You need to rather be honest about your feelings. It is not good to have your relationship built on lies, and it won't last that way.
The only lies I told were that I don't love them and will say I am interested in someone else.
Well can you be clear do you like them or not? The way you made it sound they like you back, so why not take a chance and  take them on a real date?