Can a Friendship turn into a Serious Relationship?

All start off with saying, I've had a very long friendship with this girl. Some brief history, We first met when I had a friend named Paul, paul was dating Nicole, and as I hung out with paul, nicole was sometimes with him, we would talk and got to know each other very well, then time went on, paul and nicole, broke up. Nicole and I, began talking and she would throw me those hints, every guy that isn't blind can seem them, well anyways I played the hints off and put them in the back of my head, as I was friends with paul still. Well that was about 2-3 Years ago, we've been friends, very close actually, she'll come over and were comfortable enough to sleep together, we can share absolutely anything together.


One day were texting back and forth to each other, and she comes out with "I need a man lol but i dont know who i want" I fire back with "What do you mean" she sent, "I like dont know who I want more like to date"... I didn't answer this text, as I was thinking about it. Then bam another text, she's asking me about kids, and if I want them or not. Anyways the next day I call her, we begin to talk and I bring up the question, if we could ever be in a serious relationship together, and she said she thought we could. This is the girl, that Knows absolutely everything or more about me than my own mother, the one true girl I've told everything too, is it smart on my part to plunge into a relationship with someone that has been my BFF, for such a long time..... Oh shit I almost forgot she's living with her know boyfriend, and has told me she's so damn unhappy with his abusive nature, and him being a jerk.


Ultimately its a decision all have to make on my own, but any helpful input on if a relationship based on what you've heard, could work. Any other questions for me, all be sure to answer promptly.