A few months ago, I lost someone who I had loved dearly, and now I realize they weren't right for me. I'm healed up and better, No Contact really did help. Thanks everyone!
Now, I have met a new girl and we went to our school's homecoming dance together, we held hands.. we hugged, we danced.. But the day following, she told me that she isn't ready for a boyfriend yet.

In September, she was going out with this boy, and he broke her heart. They were together for a long time. Well now, I was on the verge of maybe asking her out, and she told me she's still hurting from her last boyfriend and needs time away from it. She used the word "rehab" in a joking manner. Deep down I was slightly hurt, but I told her that I respect her decision and I will wait. She thanked me, and said if she was ready at present time she would go out with me because she thinks I am the sweetest boy she knows. That made me better and I truly do respect her decision.
But part of me is unsure how long I should wait. I really like this girl, the feelings I have for her are very similar to those I felt for my ex. We talk a lot, I make her blush a lot, and she seems to like me. So my question is...

Should I continue to way.. I understand how it feels to be hurt, and I'd love to be hers..

If so, how long should I wait... I'm willing to wait as long as possible, I went 16 years of my life without a love... so..

Also, I want to know if she likes me. In a way it seems like it does because she said she would go out with me... but she hasn't said "I like you too" or anything. How can I find this out? I don't really want to deceive anyone or lie because that's just wrong.

Well... She said that you were the cutest boy etc (sorry don't know how to do the quote thing yet(",)) and went to the dance with you so I would think that she does like you. It's a good thing that she is waiting before she starts a relationship with someone because you don't want her to be on the re-bound and then you get hurt again!! You wait for as you feel happy to wait, they might come a day when she is ready and you start going out or there might come a day when you feel you don't want to wait anymore and instead you find someone else... Good luck!

You haven't invested anything in her yet, thank god. She is emotionally unavailable. Why bother hurting over someone who you were never with to begin with? I would stay away.