Dear coldwater:

There are three options as I see it:
1) You don’t ask her out, don’t pursue a bf/gf relationship and do your best to be friends otherwise.
2) You ask her out. If she says Yes (to your surprise since your gut feeling is otherwise)- then there is a possible bf/gf relationship to be made. If she says No- or doesn’t say Yes, then you are likely to feel very awkward and so will she and the friendship will be strained or over.
3) You don’t ask her out but you tell her, as her friend, that you developed a crush on her and that you feel in your gut that she is not interested and you like her so much as a friend and feel that you are betraying her by not sharing with her the feelings you have.

The third option is the best one, I believe, because this way you will not feel that you are pretending to be just-friends, hiding your true intentions. This way you will be honest with her and there will be nothing you will be hiding from her anymore. The friendship- strained already on your end by your own thoughts and emotions- will improve. Everything will be out in the open. You will be choosing friendship this way.

What do you think?

anita