i don't want to make any unfair assumptions, so i will try to ask my way through it? be honest here- it's an internet forum
how is your life with girls that live locally?
my situation may have been similar-sophmore year i went to a new school, and at times it could be pretty shitty. i had a solid group of friends, just never really met a female companion i really liked. sometimes i would take a trip-for example i met this girl in florida. she lives in PA, i'm in MA, and we talked a lot, after the trip especially. i guess she is a pretty damn cool kid, but i think the majority of my feelings stemmed from the fact that it was because someone else was paying attention to me. i was 15 at the time.
if what you feel is sincere, and you aren't in a similar situation, then maybe try to find some way to make it work. train, bus, etc.
if you feel my situation applies to you fairly aptly, then i would suggest just keeping her as a close, long distance friend. she would be a great advisor and could really help you, being someone that lives 200 miles away and has no knowledge any tricky circumstances that you may have, besides what you tell her.
i know how cliche it is, but follow your heart. don't let your mind trick you at all into thinking you really like this girl if you don't
hope all that rambling helps a little