i'm not trying to push you or anything. I'm glad you're making the decision yourself instead of just doing what people tell you. It's just from my personal experience, things are very delicate at this point and there are so many ways for this to go wrong. more ways for it to go wrong than right.
wait too long and you end up loving your best friend and being stuck in this position for the rest of your life. I hope you won't end up this way. it's just the longer you're around her, the more you'll care for her. and maybe she doesn't feel the same way for you. if that's so, it's better to cut it off before it gets too deep. there is the possibility that the friendship will end. and if that isn't something that's avoidable, it's best to do it sooner than later. it all sits on the edge of a knife. stray but a little...well, any LoTR movie fan can tell you what will happen