Help me out here. (In need of relationship help.)?

Okay to make a extremely long story short, I like this girl that I've know for like 8 years, but I recently started to like her about a year and a half ago. I invited her over today to hang out. She stayed longer than I expected (good thing right?). We didn't make love, because we are just friends and she has a purity ring; we didn't kiss yet either. That's normal though, only the 2nd time being together outside of our classes (we are both ballet dancers...I'm straight. (duh?)).

So we talked about everything, basically what we think about religion, music, ect. So we ended up talking about grinding...which I find is a sad excuse for "dancing." She said she did it for her first time during her formal and that a lot of guys were around her and she said it was weird. So first question, should I let this just fly, since she said it was basically uncomfortable? I told her I find grinding to be disrespectful to woman and that it just promotes the idea that women or objects. She responded with a "Awww." Idk, I think I kinda just said that, but when I think about it, I do agree with myself.

Now, I'm going away for the summer, and there's chance I might not come back next year. So, should I take it slower and just do group things with her instead of only hanged out with her alone?

If I do come back next year, she's 16 and I'm going to be 18 this Sunday. Her and I are a year apart, but like weird birthdays, her birthday is earlier than mine. So can I still date her legally? We're not gonna do anything since she has purity ring and I respect that.

She's not shy around me and I'm not around her. She flirted with me the whole time with the most classic technique girls use (playing with there hair and constant eye contact). When ever we are in dance and we are doing partnering class its like I'm in another world. Even when I just talk or look at her I have left Earth. I have the upmost respect for her and I treat her like a real woman (I'm very old school, ya know opening the door, paying for her food, ect.).

Yeah the purity ring doesn't really bother me. I hate to admit this (God forgive me), but my initial plan was just to have sex her. But I have developed feelings for her and I have no idea if that initial plan was just a joke that I told one of my friends, but it seems like a joke now. I'm not super religious, but I'm moderate. I'm still a virgin, but I rather wait and make love with someone that I actually care about. She's one of those girls that's beautiful and intelligent, which is what I like (ignorant people just stress me).

So along with those other questions above, is this love, like, or just a beautiful friendship, or any other ways you wanna put it?