I need to know if she likes me...

I figured this might be the best place to ask for help? If it isn't could you either point me in the right direction or give me some rather helpful advice?

Let me give you the backstory.

I am a 16 year old girl who is head-over-heals for her bestfriend.

Last year, we became friends. It was a few months before school let out for summer.

I didn't start liking her like this until around August.

Recently, she's been showing signs that she may like me, too. She holds my hand in public, we go everywhere together, and we cuddle a lot. I don't really know if this is important or not, but many of our friends told me that the way we hug looks like we're going in for a kiss but then someone declines it by turning their head.

I don't really know if she likes me the way I like her and even though I asked her out she thought it was a joke...

If it helps she told me she has never been in an "actual relationship" before. She says this even though she dated someone before moving to my school. The girl she dated happened to be her bestfriend and the only reason she gave me as to why was because their friends suggested they should give it a try...

This is all the information I can remember off of the top of my head, if you need slightly more information. Ask. I'll try my best to answer.

Thanks for any help, guys.