Falling in love feels like a risk I’m too scared to take sometimes

I’ve been thinking about love a lot lately not the movie kind, but the real, messy, painful kind. I’ve seen so many of my friends men and women get completely wrecked by love. They fall so hard, give everything, and then end up broken, confused, or feeling like they’ll never trust anyone again. And honestly… it’s terrifying. When you experience that kind of heartbreak yourself and you watch people you care about go through it too, something inside you starts to harden. You start building quiet walls not the kind you can see, but the ones that whisper, “Don’t try again. Don’t risk it.” One of my best friends got her heart shattered a few years ago. She hasn’t really healed since. She pretends she’s fine, but I can tell she’s just… existing. She doesn’t believe in love anymore, and that hurts to see because she’s such a good person. And me? I think I’ve become afraid of even trying. I’m autistic, so connections already take effort decoding signals, understanding tone, balancing comfort and vulnerability. When I finally do trust someone, it’s a big deal for me. So the thought of being betrayed or left feels almost unbearable. But at the same time, part of me still wants to believe love can be safe. That maybe there are people who won’t take advantage of your heart just because it’s open. I’m not sure what this post is maybe I just needed to let it out. Maybe I’m hoping to hear from others who feel the same.