Maybe an odd question, need some advice?

[Greensoul]

I really don't know how to begin this, so I'll just dive right into it and explain things along the way.
Recently I've had some sort of attraction towards a girl I met this summer at the seaside. Probably by now you may be thinking that I'm going to ask for advice on how to ask her out. But I don't know if this is really the case.
The first time I met her, she made me curious about her, as though I had to see her again. Rarely does someone leave that impression on me. I'll admit I'm a jaded person that finds any kind of apparently insignificant change good, but I'm also a huge misanthropist who sees a stereotyper in every human being. So I guess she must have had something special to her, right?
And it wasn't necessarily something physical. Yes, she has a tattoo and beautiful eyes( I like a girl with a tattoo and nice eyes), yet there was more to her than her looks.
In any case, since getting back home, I've been trying to find out more about her. It's been really hard, it's like she just goes underground: I have tried to go to all the pubs where people from "our" school usually hang out and still nothing.
Until Monday, when the school year started and I saw her for the first time in a month. I've spent the last three mornings playing basketball on the school's court and I've had the chance of seeing her again. We said "hello" and she would smile at me. At a certain point, I ended up staring at her and she, I think, noticed and looked as though she almost laughed in response.
The problem is: I don't know what I'm feeling. Am I idealising her because of the jaded, lonely life I have? I guess you could say that. She's like almost everything I wish I were during high-school. Do I see myself in her, someone else as weird as me with a screwed up family?
Another thing is that in a week or so I'm leaving for college; yes I'm almost 20 and she's almost 17. Hopefully this doesn't make me a pedophile, since I have no sexual intentions with her. I only want to know her as a person.
I don't know what I should do. Should I go ask her out and say honestly what's on my mind(without exaggerating and freaking her out)?
I pray this did not reduce me to a weirdo.

 

[Avengard]

Yeah she seemed special like the one, cos you see only her good side and project all your hopes and dreams onto her, imagining she's perfect, then you get to know her, and all her issues, problems and crazy comes out, haha

I think loners do that more than folks with lotsa friends, and i think women do that too, they are serial dreamers when it comes to relationships

I read from someones headline on here earlier... "expectaions are the source of all heartache"

 

[VanillaCreme]

I certainly don't dream when it comes to relationships. With my ex, at least, I knew how he was beforehand. So I can't really say that I didn't expect him to be a jackass. I already knew it. Learning to know someone makes a difference, relationship or friendship wise. Even with a friend, it makes a difference. I learned something about a friend of mine earlier... another side of him. I totally didn't expect it, and I really didn't know how to react. I still love him the same though.

 

[Sterling]

No you shouldn't feel like a weirdo, should you be cautious of a 17 (legal age for piercings and tattoos is 18) year old with a tattoo? yes.

Actually you can be as young as 16 and get a tattoo, if you have parental consent and all. It all depends on the laws of your state or country. The type of piercing depends on the age required, but again...with parental permission you can basically get it at any age.

 

[Badjedidude]

Another thing is that in a week or so I'm leaving for college; yes I'm almost 20 and she's almost 17. Hopefully this doesn't make me a pedophile, since I have no sexual intentions with her. I only want to know her as a person.

20 and 17 isn't a large age gap; more than likely no one would cry foul if you DID happen to end up having sex with her.

Actually, it's not pedophilia unless the girl is more like... in the 14yr-old or younger age range. If an adult man (18 years or older) has sex with a girl that's 15-17, then they really only get in trouble if the girl tells on the guy or her parents find out or something, and even then it wouldn't be considered pedophilia, it would be statutory rape.

What I'm trying to say here is... don't worry so much about the legality of it all if you're only 3 years older than her, especially since she's 17 and will soon be 18.

Good luck with things.

 

[futurecatlady]

It's not weird at all. You're still the same age range as her emotionally and mentally, especially since you haven't gone on to college yet. If you sense something special, go for it. Good luck.

 

[tehdreamer]

Since you just want to get to know her as a person, I don't see anything wrong with it. If you really feel she's special in some way, it's worth taking a chance to talk with her. You could make a really good friend.

 

[Greensoul]

Thank you very much for your replies. Tbh, I wasn't thinking that anyone would want to read through all those lines I wrote. Thank you also for the points of view.

 

[SophiaGrace]

Just talk with her. Try to strike up a friendship.

 

[Asterli]

You can step up to her and just make small talk. It is usual for people in this way to be curious about each other. You only find out if you talk to her when the word 'love' can actually fall. You have to search your feelings for that.

Three years isn't much. I dated someone with five years between us so that isn't a problem.

I wish you luck!