I like a friend of mine, but I am not around her now. What should I do?

So, last year I became homeschooled because i started rock climbing A LOT and got really good. Any way, I feel kind of lonely and think that if I had a girlfriend, I would be less lonely. I like this girl I know from when I was at school. We talk a fair amount, and she uses smile faces a lot, but I don't know if she likes me in a dating sorta way. If I ask her to hang out, will she automatically think it's a date?