Questions: Girl's Behavior

Okay, so..
This is the context and then situation:
I'm going to school, I currently hang with a bunch of girls in class (hot, smart ones). Outside of class I know most people by name (~80p) and have talked on shallow levels. I am applying myself as a support-role to most and give/reccieve respect from many, I have high social status and reccieve lots of attention from girls and guys. The common way where girls can be picky don't really apply as I am the sought after and they are chasing.

Contrary to popular belief, I am not very experienced with girls at all, though I am well versed in bodylanguage and used to networking friends and analysing social group-dynamics. I am used to navigating crowds and leading with respect, care, well-meaning, long-term intention. When you give respect without judging you also reccive it, which adds up and twists in positive rumors.
I am not a "white knight", but I am also not a bystander, I speak up for my views and call out people without making a scene.

The situation:
So in my friendgroup, well there's no girls that ain't orbiters (friendzoned) right now but I really like this one girl in group, she likes me too, she's really a great balance between ratiinality and intuity, she's really smart and mature, we're both extroverts and naturally flirty so it went on well at first then I found out she has a boyfriend.

I appologized (outed myself as an admirer) and reverted to friendzone because I am trying to be principled (maybe not to a fault). Which she obviously said she appreciated and denied even noticing (obvi) and then we just went on being great, playful friends, knowing we're just being natural. But since then she's been brushing up beside me (forcing skin-contact) at the gym and while studying.