I told my girlfriend of almost four months I loved her and she didn't say anything in return, what is my next step?

Anonymous
So she has been giving me mixed signals for the past couple weeks. Like i would tickle her or something in the nature where it would slightly annoy just messing around and shed laugh or giggle and say omg stop, and in return id say oh you know you love me while laughing, and she would say maybe maybe not or you'll have to find out, and she never said that before so i kind of took that as a signal, and also i was talking in a joking manner to when its too early to say the three magic words and i had brought up 5 months, and in return she sounded shocked that i thought that was early and said who the hell told you that was too early? And i took that as kind of like another signal, and when it came down to the night i said it she froze and we didn't say anything for a while, and she told me she was sorry and it was her fault, that she sent mixed signals and that she needs more time, and im hurt, i dont know what to do, its hard to procces what i thought were signals and i could tell her what i really feel was not that at all, I've never felt like this towards anyone and i just dont want the realationship to be doomed now, that she's just gonna try and push me out…
I told my girlfriend of almost four months I loved her and she didn't say anything in return, what is my next step?
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