Sometimes it’s hard to tell when you’ve crossed the line from dating to “in a relationship”. Unless you’ve had “the talk” where you both agree to be exclusive (which is I strongly suggest), lines of communication can become blurred. However, there may be signs that you’re already there, or well on your way.

1. YOU’VE MET HIS MOTHER & he introduced you as his girlfriend vs you met his mother because ya’ll go to church together, grew up together or she knows your mama.

2. YOU KNOW HIS BEST FRIEND and his best friend knows you are his girlfriend.

3. YOU HAVE THINGS AT HIS PLACE. This is things you actually need & use like hair products, makeup, toiletries, ect & they’re in the same spot whenever you visit vs thrown away, hidden in a closet or pushed to back of the cabinet bc you’re not there enough anyway for him to keep your stuff around.

4. HE CALLS YOU HIS GIRLFRIEND in front of people vs just when the two of you are alone.

5. HE SAYS “I LOVE YOU” when ya’ll get off the phone or he says it back vs you say it & pretend like you don’t care if he doesn’t say it back.

6. HE CLAIMS TO HAVE A GIRLFRIEND period. Whether he’s claiming you or not, if he’s even making it known on social media or when people ask him if he’s in a relationship means that he’s making it clear that he’s off the market.

7. HE STAYS OVER THE NEXT DAY after ya’ll have sex to spend the day with you vs he leaves in the morning, even on Sundays when ain’t nobody gotta be at work.

8. YA’LL ARE TOGETHER ON HOLIDAYS period. Major holidays include New Years Eve, Valentines & Birthdays (his & yours). If ya’ll were together @ the stroke of midnight on NYE, if he actually bought you a gift on said holiday or if he’s willing to come meet your family on Thanksgiving (or vice versa), then ya’ll might be kinda solid.

9. HE INTERACTS WITH YOUR KIDS vs he goes straight to your bedroom & closes the door when he comes over your house. If your kids haven’t been around him, like in a car going somewhere like out to eat, then he not fuckin with you. Same thing for his kids, if he’s not letting you be around them like that, its because YOU not finna be around like that.

10. IF HIS PHONE STAYS FACE DOWN, then it’s a man down. Call his phone just to see whether it rings or not. If his phone is down on more than one occasion, then he don’t want you to see that hotline bling.

11. IF YOU SEE HIM OUT IN PUBLIC, say at a restaurant & you have to text/call him from your car to see where he is/what he’s doing vs going in like “Hey babe, gimme kiss, wyd?”….. If you sit in your car & wait until he comes out bc you think he might be there with somebody…..you know the rest.