Search Results: asking a girl to prom

I'm so tired of being hurt. there's a girl, I've known for four years at this point, originally I hit on her to no avail, for 3. friggin. years. She never said she didn't like me, in fact we spend a lot of time together talking and really getting to know each other.

I planned so much for her, I began to admittedly obsess over her, constantly thinking about what I could do for her, but when I made her a valenties present she never even looked at, when I asked her to dance at homecoming and she said no then grinded with someone else, when I asked her to prom and she took... Someone she wound up dating then breaking up with when she realized he wasn't the faithful type... I realized she wasn't feeling me.

When she was in a relationship I left her alone because I don't play like that, but then we started talking again this summer and then she invited me to a party and then we became friends as we worked on summer homework together and we just became closer, and closer, and she broke up with her boyfriend and I waited for a month or two, then I asked If she'd ever consider seeing me as more than a friend, She said "not now."

I think she meant not ever.
We genuinely became best friends, we told each other everything, but I always had this feeling that I was being used. For money, or transportation, or just for comfort. She told me she loved me and I told her but we meant it as friends.

Then she asked me out over the phone. I didn't know how to respond and stumbled over my words until I realized this probably would never happen again, and though I was content being her friend I mean, why not. Then she told me she was joking.

Now I'm asking myself why I put up with this pain, we have an interesting friendship n that we're both pretty offensive to one another but lightheartedly.
But she's always pushing the line, always doing to much, always using the weak points I've shown her to tap at me and see if I crack.

I've been talking/hanging out with this girl for 4 months, and there's definitely something between us, but we're nothing official yet.

I'm a volunteer firefighter and our annual Christmas party is coming up, and I'm allowed to bring a date. I don't want to go, because after the dinner portion of the party, the older people go home, and the younger people get out the beer pong tables and start drinking until they pass out (I'm under 21 so I can't even drink). But I have to go because I have recently become an "official" firefighter, and I may have to give a mini speech about that.

Anyway, I'm not sure if I should ask this girl to be my date or not. I like her, but she is really shy around people. Even the one time she came over my house to hang out she got so nervous/shy when I introduced her to my parents, and now I always have to go to her house because she doesn't want to deal with people. So I'm not sure how she'd react to having to meet 20-30 people at once.

She is friends/acquaintances with the girlfriend of one of the firefighters my age, so she'd have someone to talk to besides me. And she has been to big parties like these before (she's gone to prom 3 times) so she should be fine during the dinner portion of the party. Neither of us can drink, and she hates going to college parties, so I'm not sure how she'd handle it when the beer pong/drinking starts.

I know there is no shame in asking, but is there a point? I can think of a thousand reasons she could give to not go (studying for finals, seeing a friend, etc.) and I don't want to force her to or make her feel uncomfortable.

But if for some reason she does say yes, I don't even know what to do. I've never brought a date to a party before (I didn't even go to my own prom) so I have no clue about introducing her, dancing, etc.

Any sort of advice on this would be much appreciated!