Re: Is it possible to remain friends?

I think that you are right, you cannot pretend that you have no feelings, or other feelings than those that you actually have, because it is not healthy for you, and it won't be healthy for the relationship, pretended friendhip with no other feelings.

I guess if you told her really why you need to work on your feelings, that it hurts you too much to pretend it is ok, by staying friends, you can at least speak of your feelings, the true ones, it is better than killing you by denying them, because it will sound fake anyway if you pretend that you are ok to give up the love and be just a friend to her.

She misses your friendhip, as a friend then she could be comprehensive and let you the right to feel comfortable.
You can be fair to her needs, but you have to be fair to your needs too, and she has to be fair also, you can't be a good friend if your needs are denied, and she can't be a good friend if she denies you to feel what you feel.

And you can't definitely push aside your feelings, you need to accept to feel them, and to deal with them. Explain her so she knows how you feel.