a member

So I've made a post on this same specific guy about a week and half ago but this is completely different(kinda?). I(17) been talking to guy(15/16) for about 3 and half weeks? But I've known him since the end of May of this year. We never really talked before we started to 'talk' if ykwim, After the first week and half we started to tell eachother goodnight and goodmorning with hearts(starting slow im pretty sure) and only 2 nights ago did we start calling eachothwe "cute,beautiful, handsome" ect, nothing else besides normal non deep conversations so tonight we was chatting a little and then he didn't answer for about 4 hours bc he went to sleep but he woke back up and texted me after I called him cute ect. He told me goodnight he'll talk to me tomorrow and said "love you ❤️"?? What does that mean! I'm used to situationships and relationships ect and I don't think I've ever have been told this, this fast. I talked to a fellow guy and asked what it means and what to say back and he said he probably means it as a friendly thing not a deep "love love" thing. But i mean all guys are slightly different right? Is my guy friend right?? Is the guy testing what I'd say back, how I'd feel about it or what'd I do?? Im so confused. And yes I took my guy friends advice and say "love you❤️" back because I literally don't wanna leave the guy hanging and i do have love for him as a friend at the moment but I really really do like like him. Im leaving some stuff out but it's not important and im also kinda running out of room to type and i wouldn't be ale to finish the rest without it being a ("cliffhanger"?) But yeah, #pleasehelp