stop bein a pussy and take the LEAP!!! If you want it bad enough and you've expressed some interest... then just go for it. Why stay as friends and then have to listen to her complain about the guy that treats her like crap...
Yea... it's a difficult question. I know that I have thought about what it would be like to date some of my good friends.... but most of the time I choose not to do so. Part of it is risking the friendship. I would hate to destroy or jeopardize the friendship even if it's a good reason. I would hate not being able to hang out with them as much as we used to.