So I still go out and party and hookup with girls. But I have been trying to game this girl for a long time now... she is super shy has only been in one relationship which lasted over 5yrs... She is a HB9 guys always hitting on her but she rejects everyone.
I have noticed she is very shy and her friends have confirmed this..

When I first started trying to talk to her she would hardly talk and felt uncomfortable around me. Now when we hang out she is always laughing and we are always flirting back and fourth. I don't want to ask her out on a date because I tried this awhile back and she turned me down. I am pretty sure its because she is scared though.. She has opened up way more and is showing way more interest in me then before.

How should I play my cards? I never call her. I text her maybe 1-2 times per week and probably hangout 1-2 times a week when we are with mutual friends. I don't want to scare her off.

(Her friends have said before she dates someone she becomes friends with them first.)

Must I be in the friends zone to get with her?

She must like me I'm a good looking successful young athletic stud.

Let me get this one important point across to you now before you get it all wrong.. Once you are in the friend zone then it's a game over, now let me tell you what her friends met about her dating someone she was friends with. What they meant is that she wouldn't go out with someone new in her life, but instead she feel comfortable dating someone she knew from before, definitely not someone she speaks to a lot or hang around with a lot, but let's say for example someone she knew from school or college. You mentioned that you have a laugh with her and flirt, that's a good step now you need to start escalating and this is done by hinting your interest instead of talking about random stuff. GO KINO A LOT whenever you see her, for example neg her but make it a neg where she knows like you're jokin for example say ' oh i can't believe im walkin next to you where i could of been playing basketball or whatever' then when she looks you just saay ahh kidding and put your aram around her and have a laugh.

DONT put yourself in the friendship zone because she doesn't go out with friends