Crushing on a friend

I've known this girl for about 4 years now and we'll both be sophmores this year. The problem is that I've started developing a crush on her. This feeling has just been growing more over the summer, to the point where I feel my heart race when saying something as simple as happy birthday to her. I really like this girl but I really don't want to make things akward between us. Should I try asking her out, hope these feeling pass quickly, or if any of you have other advice it would be much appreciated.

i read an article that sums this up. If YOU are worrying about being "awkward" and your whole thing is to "avoid being awkward" - then you're being awkward and coming off as awkward.
The article goes on to say that if you are hiding your feeling from this girl until one day bombarding her with your feelings out of the blue - that is not very nice to her and obivously.. THE MOST AWKWARR thing you can do.
so do yourself a favor... do her a favor.. tell her.

chances are.. yo won't get the response you want but thats better then being awkward, keepnigi t a secret, torturing yourself for years, etc. got to be honest with girls to not be awkward.

lastly.. realize ou are playing a game of fantasy. you are "developing feelings for her" although nothing is happening or developing/progressing with her. that means this "romance" is allin your head. be honest and develop it for real, and stop just developing it in your head based on nothign she does back. every guy has been there. i've been there many times. so nothing to be shamed of. it's ust part of the learning process. you have to LEARN how to develop it with people your interested in by not keeping it to yourself and only developng it in your head.. and how to develop it in person. learn if they want to develop it too... and if not.. how to move on and find somebody who does.

good luck.