Dating

Advice needed about this. Should I consider this as a sign?


There is this girl I met half a year ago. She had problems in uni, and through a mutual friend, I started helping her (for free from the start). When I "accepted" to help her, I did not know anything (not even gender) it was a genuine "I want to help" moment.

When we first met, she was very forward, talkative, and friendly. I fell for her. We talked about a lot of things, and once she told me she has a boyfriend. I wasn't happy because my chances were dropped to zero, but I was helping her, and our relationship did not change. Pretty much "You really know you love someone when all you want is for them to be happy, even if that means that you are not a part of it" moment for me. A few months passed, and she broke up. She told me that. Since then (~2 months), we have spent time together walking, in the zoo, having lunch, and continuing to learn together.

Now my problem:
I feel like I'm in love. Every time I get a hug from her, I levitate above the ground for minutes. Her humor is very similar to mine; we can talk for hours and not realize time has passed. I really want to get to know her better, but I fear asking her to be my girlfriend. I fear that she is "just" friendly.

I'm really bad at reading signs. Like, really bad! For the last two weeks, we have met nearly every day. Some of these meetings were 2-3 hours long, others up to 6 hours. All talking and walking, having lunch together, and studying (max 5-10 hours over two weeks). Some of the subjects are very deep and personal, such as exes, family relationships, and future plans (kids, work, etc.). When she had a boyfriend, I told her I wouldn't initiate anything.

Now the question (s):
Is it normal for "friends" to spend this much time together, or is this a sign?
How can I ask her about her feelings without ruining our "professional" relationship?
Should I "forget" my promise from the time she had a boyfriend?
What would you do in my place?

Me: late 20s Her: early 20s

Thank you very much in advance!

Advice needed about this. Should I consider this as a sign?
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