Search Results: pays too much attention

At school, there is a girl I really like. I am not sure if she likes me back. We have 1 class together and sit far away but work on projects together. She is always really nice and polite to me and generally everyone. She either really looks at my eyes and pays attention or does not really look at me but she keeps talking. She always uses my full name when she talks to me and does not tell many jokes but always listens to what I say and seems somewhat happy. Her freinds said she thinks I am really nice and a month or two ago, they said she likes me and wanted me to ask her to prom. However, I missed my opportunity to ask her out to prom because she got asked. I am getting to know her better and I do not know what she genuinely thinks about me. I have her number but we dont really text too much; I am not too fond in texting. I am scared to ask her out not just because of rejection but because we are in a similar freind group and I dont want to lose her as a freind. Is there a way I can stay true to myself yet ask her out with little chance of denial? Looks wise she is very attractive (8,9) and I am decent my self (7,8). She is slightly out of my league socially because pretty girls in junior year of a small high school are automatically popular and I pretty shy. In the hallways when she sees me, she always says hi and smiles. I came back from vacation and bought a gift and I was thinking about giving it to her Friday in this format: We are working on a project during the last period of the day on a halfday Friday and I was thinking about asking her to hangout and get a bite to eat and before we split, I was thinking about giving her the gift. Is this a good idea? I am open to all types of responses. Just a nice guy looking for some good advice.