My quiet girlfriend of 4.5 months says she just wants to be friends, even though...

[Jarl L]

...before she said all was fine? So my girlfriend, who'm I'm her first boyfriend, said she would like to be friends with me. We had been together for 4 1/2 months, and she always said she likes me and always said everything between us was great. She's a shy girl. Anyway, so lately I've noticed her becoming somewhat distant, and now when I asked her if everything was fine she said it was, then shrugged her shoulders and then said she doens't know. I asked her so many times to tell me and it looks like she was finally determined to tell me that a lot was on her mind right now (family death(I don't think that's much of the problem though), lots of homework, she's confused) and that she needs some time. So then we just went on talking and ya now we're just friends I guess. But do you think she just really wanted to break up or she really needs time? She says she can't plan so far into the future so she doesn't know for sure, but says "who knows"?
Anyway I told her before I loved her and she did the same head-shake thing and face in arms, and said she needed more time.She also says that she can't say things very well because she's a shy person and that its her first time having a boyfriend. Her friends say everything is ok, but now I really don't know. I still love her but what should I do? Wait, move on, talk to her? Thanks so much everyone for any help! By the way we have a lot in common, especially being the small things.