My best friend (F22) needs a break from me (M24) and I am confused

I (24M) have been having this super intense close friendship with a girl (22F) for the past three months. She got out from a five year long and toxic relationship based on codependency in Feb earlier this year. We started talking in May but really the spark arose in July, when we got really close and we started hanging out quite often. Deep conversations, but also lots of fun and beers. We didn't feel completely free to express ourselves because I was friend with her ex and we both felt the pressure; we both said that one night in July we both wanted to kiss, but didn't because of him. Then a month later I developed a crush on her and she said that the situation was not very clear to her, it's not like she didn't like me at all, she found me attractive and super stimulating, but she didn't feel crazy romantic sparks and plus with me it would be a serious relationship and she was not ready for that. In general, she told me she struggles to identify her emotions and to analyse situations in a lucid way. Then in September we take a lil break and start talking again. In the meanwhile, she had started a friendship with benefits with another dude, with poor emotional connection and mostly superficial conversations. This is still ongoing, because "that is what I want rn, nothing more, nothing less". Anyway, I accepted the fact she wants to be my friend and went along with it. This is in October. In the next three months, we hang out very often, on average 1/2 times per week, we message each other everyday and it is clear that our bond is getting stronger and stronger, but she keeps making it clear that we're just friends, and even though I'm a bit puzzled by that, again I go along with it, because i'm not madly in love and the crush is still containable. There are some conversations in which we have to discuss the entity of our relationship, and we both recognize that some aspects are more in a gray zone (e.g. questions like: what will happen when we will start dating other people?). I mean, it's that kind of friendship where you have to sit down and discuss how it's working, whether it'll keep working, because of how intense it is. I make it clear that to me she's a great friend, but some things feel weird and romantic-ish. There are situations in which it is clear to me there is a potential for romance. Anyway, a month ago she told me I'm the closest person she has and that there were situations in which she had feelings that maybe were not only friendly. Then a couple of weeks ago she started being a bit colder. Last week we saw each other twice in four days because of my birthday and because of a graduation party, and earlier today she told me that "it's a bit too much and in this period of her life she needs space" in order to gain the independency she has never had because of her boyfriend. I told her that I respect that and that of course she has all the right to take some space, if needed.
However, I don't know what to think about this whole situation. I feel a bit confused because a) I don't know how I truly feel about her and which direction I want to take b) I don't know if she really sees me as a friend only, or if it's because of this period of her life. I mean, the fact that she's asking for space to a friend is a bit weird to me c) she asks for space and of course the fact that I have to adapt to this request makes me a bit sad. I mean, is this a normal friendship? Or are we both pretending it is, while it is something more? Very confused here - do you have any advice?