When I first met my boyfriend, I was skeptical about what would come, considering I have had pretty awful relationships before him. I pulled so many petals off of flowers while saying, "He loves me, he loves me not," trying to figure out if he was one that was going to stay. Time has come and gone, and a year and six months later, there is no doubt in my mind that he loves me.

So many signs let me know that he loved me other than him just saying he did.

Here's a list so you can finally stop asking yourself: Does he love me?

1. He Tells You

He doesn’t just tell you before you go to bed or when you leave. He tells you when you’re watching a movie or sitting down at dinner. He should be expressing it to you more often than when you leave, even if it’s only every now and then.

2. He Makes Time For You

There’s no excuses or difficulties to make plans. He skips his afternoon nap if that’s the only time you’re free and doesn’t think twice about it. My boyfriend and I both have extremely busy schedules and careers we are trying to be successful in. But, that doesn't stop the two of us from getting together for dinner once a week. He has goals he wants to achieve in life and that is his number one priority (as it should be), but he makes sure I am still a priority. A guy that really loves you will make seeing you a priority, just as much as everything else is.

3. He Surprises You

Now, I am not talking about a surprise party with all your closest friends (which he has done, am I lucky or what?). I’m talking about the little things—a Blizzard from Dairy Queen while you’re studying or a bouquet of flowers just because—that show you he is always thinking about you even when you're not around.

4. He Trusts You

He trusts you with the little things, like putting his wallet in your purse or holding his phone. He doesn’t freak out when the phone you’re holding rings and will even have you answer it. He trusts you with secrets and his deepest feelings, because he knows you would never judge.

5. He Listens to You

My boyfriend knows more about me than I know about myself because he listens to me so well. For Valentine's Day, he got me a gift I mentioned I wanted one time. He knows that I only eat the red Sour Patch Kids because the rest aren’t nearly as good. He listens and shows it.

6. He Makes the Effort

Being in a relationship takes effort from both sides. He texts me during the day to see how my day is going and calls just to say hi. A guy should understand that it is a two way street. It shouldn’t be a one way effort on your part when it comes to plans and expressing feelings.

7. Your Friends Like Him

This might seem obvious but it is an important one. If your friends can see that he is genuine and treats you well, he is worth keeping around. Beware of the ones your friends start questioning. Sometimes they see things you don’t.

8. He Doesn't Call You Names or Accuse You

No matter how big the fight is or how much you disagree on something, he never calls you names or wrongly accuses you of things. The second he calls you anything less than beautiful is the second you should leave.

9. He Wants to Get Through Things Instead of Over Them

When you get into a huge fight, he doesn’t just get over it. He wants to talk about it and work through it. Fights and arguments shouldn’t be forgotten about or just dropped, and he knows that. He is willing to sit and work it out, no matter what.

10. Your Happiness Is Just As Important As His

He never thinks twice when you ask to do something you know he hates, like watching "The Bachelor" on Monday nights while you drink a whole bottle of wine. He is right there by your side for the whole two-hour show. He wants to make you happy, and if that means listening to your drunken commentary on Olivia, so be it.

11. He Wants You To Know His Friends

When you’re finally introduced to them they already know you’re gluten free and have an undying love for Dairy Queen, because he has talked about you so much. He is excited to introduce you to other people that mean a lot to him.

12. He Doesn't Get Jealous

Talking to a guy at the grocery store doesn’t concern him in the slightest bit. And all those guys from high school you’re still friends with on Snapchat don’t worry him at all because he trusts you. Sure, if that drunk guy at the bar starts coping a feel, we’ll have a problem. But he doesn’t get jealous over the small stuff.

13. He's Straight-forward

When you ask him what he did last night, he gives you a direct answer. There’s no questioning him or feelings of insecurity about his answers.

14. He wants the best for you, if even in the moment he knows it's not him

Being in a relationship doesn't mean that you stop growing as an individual person. That being said, if he loves you, he will never stunt your growth. Sometimes you'll just need to be alone or you will just need your mom, and he will respect that. At the end of the day, he wants what is best for you as a person. It's not just about him having you as his girlfriend, it's about you being the best person you can be, because he loves you more than anything else.