How do I get this girl to like me?

Question:

I'm a 14 year old in 8th grade in the middle school, with the body and mind of a 16 year old, and I have a growing crush on a 9th grader in the high school. The year before that, when I was in 7th grade, and she was in 8th, we were good friends. She is pretty popular, and is friends with everybody, so I'm not sure if we were really GOOD friends. We will text every now and then, and try to pass by each other to start a conversation sometimes when I have football practice, and she has cross country training around the football field. But this doesn't seem like the kind of communication that means we like each other. It's more of a really good friends kind of relationship. She is absolutely gorgeous in both her personality and appearance. And I mean gorgeous. These traits have made me like her more and more since I met her. If I wanted to, I could probably go out with anybody in my grade, but I choose not to because everyone in my grade is either not my type, not mature enough, or just a total *****. She just seems like the only one for me at his point. I know this is just some serious school crush that happens to everyone, but I'm going crazy. I'm also being a little careful. One of the only people I went out with in my grade seemed the same way to me at the time. She was really pretty, athletic, smart, and cool, but I discovered going out with her that she got mad over small things. For example. I went to the beach for vacation, and forgot my phone charger, so couldn't talk to her for a week, and when I finally got home and tried to explain what happened to her, she started ignoring me until I finally ended it. But something tells me that wouldn't happen again with this one. I'm just kinda confused. Opinions and suggestions would rock. (Like I said, I look and act like I'm 16) (I really don''t want this situation to be seen as one of those "cute" first crushes)

Answers:

P.S. basically the best way to get a girl to like you is to get to know her, because while your getting to know her shes getting to know you, just take your cues based off of how commited and involved in the conversation she is ; )