Damage control

Okay so a few weeks ago I picked up my life again , started my Education stuff from scratch doing some A levels at a school nearby , where i have a few friends. Things have been going well , met a load of new people etc. There was this girl that befriended me , and invited me to sit with her in two of the lessons we have that are the same , and we got on really well...Talk and such a lot , she even joked about being an old stalker of mine with a haircut and a little surgery , She's a little flirty by what i can tell.In business she often looks around , I'll find her looking at me , look back and we'll smile at each other then go back to working....But having only just known her a month now Im a little nervous about doing anything just yet...I don't even know most of her friends very well..met them a couple times but i usually hang out with her on her own. Problem is ..a friend of mine guessed I like this girl the other day...and now it's sort of spread around to a couple of my friends...and this really gossipy bitch I cant stand. Point is Im worried she's gonna hear it too soon...and not hear it from me. generally Im pessimistic about the possibility of a girl I like liking me , but I really dont wanna mess ths one up.

So my question is....how do i proceed? I like her , but equally I dont want the whole of my yeargroup gossiping about how she turned me down when someone told her I like her. Denial isnt really an option either.

Thanks :)