Title: The Friend Zone

By: Life0444

Hello love experts, I need some help!

I've got a friend that I've known for better than 5 years, she's 1 year younger than I am. We are truly like brother and sister, I am at her house (with her Parents) almost every night, her parents have almost taken me in. This girl and I are very close, she knows who I've been with (sexually) and I know who she's been with, we go to the mall together, go to the movies together, hang out, heck, she even has a key and alarm code to my apartment!

Honestly, I love this girl with all of my heart, I would do anything in this world for her. No one is perfect, but when I'm with her, I feel complete. She's a knockout all the way around, has a great personality and has a real future -- she is in school to be a nurse.

I've tried a few times to start a relationship with her, but every time I try I feel like I go further into the "Friend Zone". When we talk about it she always says "You are just like my brother, I can't date you" or that she doesn't want to take the risk that if we got together and things didn't work out that she would loose me. We've talked about hooking up once or twice, same thing, she's so afraid that afterwards things would never be the same.

Is she lying? What's going on? Someone please help...

To make things worse, though, I think she's playing with my head. Over the past 3 months, her attitude toward me has changed a little... We're still friends, but lately she'll hold my hand for no reason, brush her chest up against me while standing next to me, tells me "she loves me" and "she wouldn't know what to do if something happened to me", all of this even in front of a supposed boyfriend.

What is the deal? If this is a sign, I'm missing it, or I'm not reading it and I'm too chicken to approach it. I want to sit down and spill my guts to her and tell her how I feel, but then, I don't know. I guess in a way I'm scared, I love this girl and I would do anything to be with her, but god, I'd be crushed if something were to happen and we weren't friends any more.

Am I nuts? Help!!!!!