I’m an 18-year-old male, and I've recently come to the realization that I have feelings for a friend of mine, who is also 18 and female. I'm unsure about what steps to take next.

I've known my friend since freshman year of high school. Initially, I had some feelings for her, but they were fleeting. Toward the end of that year, I started dating someone else, and we were together for a while, but we broke up recently in November. Lately, my friend and I have been talking more, and I've started to develop feelings for her again. However, there's a complication: she was friends with my ex, and I'm not sure if they still are. I'm really concerned about jeopardizing our friendship because that's the last thing I want. I'm feeling uncertain about what to do, and I would appreciate any advice. Thank you!