How to ask a girl out?

Everyone speaks about the close friend zone as if it is the worst thing in the world. To be truthful, the friend zone means that a person truly trusts you and respects you. They may not have feelings for you, in that way, but it can often develop further.

I should know, I started in that zone. I'm now happily in a relationship for 2 years, 9 months,

 Spoiler

14 days,

 Spoiler

19 hours,

 Spoiler

30 minutes.

Then again, who is counting?

Or it could lead to long years of painful nothingness. I've seen that option far more often. I've been close friends with 3 seperate girls between middle school and high school. 2 ended up becoming extremely clingy but not in a relationship type way, and one is a psychotic peach.