Question about girls?

Theres this girl who im sorta friends with. I have a feeling that she likes me and I dont like her any more than a friend. More over, my own friends dont like her and criticize her often. The Turnabaut (where girls ask guys) dance is coming up and recently she has really began talking to me more and more. We used to rarely talk, but lately she has talked to me alot in cles and IMs me every night online. If she asks me, I dont wanna say yes cuz i dont like her, and i dont wanna say no cuz im good friends with her. Also, im not gonna make up an excuse cuz i am planning to one way or another go to the dance. I was thinking of telling her that I wanna go as friends if she does ask me. Will that be fine? Cuz I really want to maintain my status quo with my friends who dont like her that much and her. Deep inside, I really want to go with her, but my friends are also as important to me.