How to know if she likes me just as a friend or we can be something else?

[FrostPhoenix]

So, there's this friend (girl) of mine I'm interested in. We both used to hang out with each other, but that led to some rumours that we are dating, so she calls some of her friends with her everytime we go somewhere. But honestly, she enjoys the rumours and laughs them off, sometimes calling me her boyfriend in front of people. She stays with me, messes around with me, smacking me at the back of my head or slapping me. (She doesn't do that with anyone else). Tells me what other guys talk about with her. Takes photos with me even when we are in a group. Tells me about the small details of her life. But then she is like "brooooo, you won't believe this...", is it normal? She has lost interested in dating and being serious after being cheated on by her past boyfriends. And recently there was an event where we went to a mall with a group of her friends, and she was trying out some dresses. So, her friends staged out a plan to show me her dress and ask me how she looks. It was awkward for both of us and she confided about that to me, about how awkward it was. And, she also complained about how her friends ask her to convey everything to me on their behalf. Is there any possibility that we could be something more? Or does she simply hate the idea of it?

[Horse-girl]

I would say that she probably does like you but doesn't want to say anything incase it ruins your friendship. Also if she's been cheated on she is probably afraid of being rejected and left without you as a friend. She would never call you her boyfriend even jokingly if she sees you as more of a brother. Hope this made a bit of sense and helps you.

[FrostPhoenix]

Thanks for your reply. I would like to add a few more things which happened yesterday. Our friends had made a plan to go out for lunch and drinks together. So, we decided we will meet at the lunch place together. But due to some circumstances, she had to go to our college, so she asks me if i'm going to college as well, to which i reply in affirmative and then she asks if we could go together along with her friend. To which i again agreed. So, she gives me her stuff to put it in my bag and says to give it back to her on the day of the next class. Later, when we reach the lunch place, as there were no more seats, I had to sit beside her to which she jokingly says, why are you sitting here, this will lead to rumours, but everyone laughed it off including her. While having lunch as we were talking, there were some things which we both wanted to tell, so she would just ask me to eat silently while she completes the rest of the sentence. My friends teased us as a typical husband and wife, but she didn't mind that as well.
Again, when we were deciding a place for drinking, they said if there were couples then, the girls could get a complementary drink, so, our friends counted us a couple as well, but she didn't complain to that.
Later that evening, she was complaining that no good looking guy looked at her, my friends teased her by saying, I'm there as her boyfriend, so why does she need another guy, to which she says, "why him? Any other guy would do." Moreover, while taking pictures, she wouldn't stand beside me or if she sees me near her she just says, i'm not standing here, and then she re-positions herself away from me. Is it that she just wants to avoid rumours with me? Or is she clearly not interested?

[Horse-girl]

I think it's probably to avoid the rumours, have you ever told her you're interested? Maybe she thinks that you aren't so she's trying to not get hung up on you.

[FrostPhoenix]

It's actually me, who is afraid of ruining our friendship. So, I'm holding back from confessing to her.
She once gave me a hint though that she knows I like her. She just subtly mentioned that there's one guy in the class, who she has noticed looking at her, and she has a lot of awkward moments with him as well, but she won't take the name as that might jinx it. So, I didn't probe her any further about it.

[Horse-girl]

You probably won't know unless you ask, one of my male friends asked me out but we're still friends. Good luck with whatever you choose to do! Xx

[Guy13]

Have you even attempted to take charge of relationship and kiss 💋 her

[FrostPhoenix]

I don't think that would help the situation in anyway, rather it would only make the situation worse