"Why don't you just ask her?"

People always ask me, "If you care for her too much, why don't you tell her? You've like her for so long! Why don't you just ask her?". Okay plain and simple, I'm scared of rejection. I'm scared if I pour my heart out of you. It will end up hurting me. I'm scared that if I tell you, our friendship will never be the same. And I know if I tell you, you wouldn't feel the same :/ It's just something I got to live with.