I approach asking a girl out/to be my girlfriend with this in mind:
1) if she says no, what's the worst that'll happen? if she says no, then she isn't going to tell everybody she rejected me because we've talked too long now for her to be cruel or anything like that
2) **** it - why not? if I never tell her how I feel about her, nothing is ever going to happen (I wish I thought that earlier)
3) if she does say no, I will learn a lesson for what to do next time I like a girl (e.g. like before, I need to ask her earlier)
4) it'll toughen my heart up if a girl says no - it will mean I can more easily drop feelings at will (not quite there yet, but getting there). I'll be needing to do this many times in the future so I might as well get used to the feelings. rejection is a powerfully saddening experience, but you'll never get a girlfriend again, or that amazing feeling when they tell you "yes", if you don't ask her out
5) hey, I'm a pretty attractive guy and she smiles when I'm with her (even if this isn't true, delude yourself into thinking this), why would she say no?
6) she probably likes me too - if I like her, then she'll probably have good reason to like me back, right?
7) sometimes this doesn't mean we can't still be friends if she says no
8) I'd rather just find out if she'll say yes than just remain friends, because this is getting boring and I can't be bothered to not act as if I like her when I do
literally dude, just do it. straight-up just do it. there's no magic way to let her know without any risks involved. might as well just do it and get it over with. just do it