Words restricted to lovers and family

No matter how many times I asked why 

no one answered. 

If it starts to fall out of your mouth, it seems like the people around you shush you collectively, 

Telling you that those words will sound wrong and shouldn't be used here. 

Even among friends, because they'll take it the wrong way. 

"I love you"

Has society really put such a taboo on those three little words that we're suddenly SO paranoid of who it's said to?

Can't we tell those we care about that we care?

Don't we all deserve to know that those we care about care about us too? 

Social norms don't matter if you're willing to break them. 

I'm more than willing. 

I don't care that it would look weird to text my 2 guy best friends saying that I love them. 

I don't care that I've liked one of them and that he might take it the wrong way even tho I said I'd never like him again. 

I don't care because I want them to know that I do. 

But I know how the world thinks and reacts and the dramatizations that will be made. 

I know how the guys think and what the girls will stir up anyway. 

I want to say it. 

I'm going to. 

Because I'm so damn tired of the nagging voices and judgmental tones of society being the reason I can't say 

I love you.❤️