Dating a friend?

[Agony]

Hello,

Guess I'll start this off with the back story:

12th grade in highschool got to know a great girl. It's been an instant click, things worked out great, but because of family(arab israeli religious society) and other crap no one made a move, and no one confessed we were head over heels into each other.

Since then we have been *the* closest friends, there is hardly a thing we don't share about our lives.

Fast forward to today: She's 18, and starting college next spring. For me this means doing what we couldn't do 3 years ago, but for her the feelings "evaporated" with the years.

Personally I feel like this is ridiculous, we're the same people, our personalities didn't change much if at all during the years and the same conditions that existed three years ago are still there today. It is simply something that makes no sense to me(input would be *most* appreciated)

Is there something I failed to see? Do you have any advice on what my next step should be?

Also, what is your opinion about dating friends in general? Personally I prefer dating friends, I don't like "dating" people I don't know.

Thanks in advance