I'm yet another person who's been in the same situation many times before. I've liked so many of my friends but I've only really loved one, my best friend through primary school and some of high school.
She was most definitely straight and I never told her how I felt. I used to have to sleep in the same bed as her when we'd have sleepovers and we used to do everything together. Then, in high school, we had a huge fight and never became as close as we once were. We weren't even talking for years and I guess it took her ages to stop hating me. In the time we weren't talking, I was a mess. I even had to change schools because I couldn't stand her yelling at me and flipping me off most every day. I got over it and I got over her in that way eventually and I moved back to my old school. We started talking again and we were sort of friends but it was uncomfortable. She dropped out of school last year and I haven't seen her since. She never found out how I felt but she did know I was gay because I told her I had a girlfriend and she took that well. I actually dislike her a lot now because she's a complete loser but when I look back on what I had to endure every day, all those suppressed emotions, it makes me feel great to have a girlfriend now that I can say 'I love you' to and to have someone that loves me back.
All the advice I can offer you is to do what you feel comfortable with. If you're scared to tell her, give it a bit of time and keep your eyes open. If she gives an obvious hint, then start off by saying that you're gay. She may or may not respond in the way that you want her to but if she's really such a great friend, then you've got nothing to lose. Just don't let it slip through your fingers if she infact does feel that way about you.
