I [22M] met a girl [21F] in college at the beginning of this year through a close friend. I did not see her very often until much later in the year and we would talk a bit. After talking more, I found I was actually quite interested in her. Since I only saw her at college and the semester was about to end I decided to ask her out on a date since I probably would not have had another chance to ask again. She said yes and we went on a date later that week.
The date went really well, we both got along really well and I was starting to feel like this was someone I could potentially quite like. We both wanted to do a second date next time we were both free. However that weekend I got a text from her explaining that she was not from my city and came here for college. Since she had finished college she was moving back to her family soon and despite planning to come back here for postgraduate study, she was no longer sure if she would be able to. She decided to break it off but still wanted to remain friends. I obviously completely understood and was perfectly fine with this. At the time it did not bother me too much since we only had one date.
Since then we have and still talk quite a lot and the closer I've gotten with her the more I realize I actually really like her and feelings have still been developing for her over time. With people I have dated in the past and remained friends with, I have been able to fairly easily stay friends and get over any feelings in my own time. With her I have been struggling to do this and have been getting more feelings for her.
She told me last week she is actually coming back to my city very soon to do postgraduate study.
And I don't really know what to do… She broke things off and stated she wanted to remain friends. But the fact that she broke things off because of her situation with relocation and not because of me, and is now coming back is honestly more painful than if she was just simply not interested in me from the start. I think it hurts more because there is uncertainty if things could have worked out / can still work out now. I know that I really like this person and I honestly think they are genuinely incredible. But I don't want to come across as a douche / disrespectful by asking her out again.
I am very conflicted because I know I like her more than a friend but I also don't want to ruin a potentially really good friendship by trying to pursue her romantically again. At the same time, I also don't want to have this uncertainty of never knowing if there could have been something there.
Either way, I want to be honest with her about my feelings and part of me really want to ask if she wants to try again and go on another date. But I also don't know if I should.
I have questioned if I am just in denial of the fact that nothing will happen between us again, in which case I know I would need to ask for some space so I can get over these feelings. Because I would still want to remain friends but I know if I don't give myself some time to get over this, feelings will just continue to develop and that is obviously unhealthy for me.
TLDR: I [22M] went one date with a girl [21F] I was interested in and she friend zoned me because she was moving out of my city. We have remained friends and talk but I have still continued to develop feelings for her. She is moving back to my city and I don't know if I should just ask her for some space to get over my feelings or ask her out again. I am also fearful asking her out again will hurt our friendship.