Brianna LaPaglia 'missed' Zach Bryan's 'red flags.' Here's what you should look for.

Their relationship started the way most fanfictions do — with Brianna “Chickenfry” LaPaglia joining country music star Zach Bryan onstage at his stadium show in New York City to sing his final song together. But the true nature of their relationship may have been vastly different than what the couple flaunted on social media.

LaPaglia, who co-hosts the Barstool Sports podcasts “Plan Bri” and “BFFs Pod,” reportedly turned down a $12-million nondisclosure agreement from Bryan’s following their October breakup. In the months since, LaPaglia has been speaking publicly about Bryan’s “red flags” and “narcissistic abuse” that she missed.

“In the beginning,” LaPaglia explained on Alex Earle’s “Hot Mess” podcast, “he was so amazed by how strong a woman I was. I was so opinionated—it was like his favorite thing about me.”

“Then slowly it just started deteriorating,” she continued. “It would start with like, little nitpicks about, ‘Well I think you're better than this job.’ Or … ‘I don't really like the way you dress.’ Just little things where it makes you question like, ‘Oh are they right?’ Cause they have my back with everything else, maybe they're looking out for me.”

Bryan has not shared his side and has not yet responded to USA TODAY's request for comment. But regardless of what exactly went down, many people are relating to LaPaglia's retelling as issues like relationship red flags and warning signs are a major point of interest in today's dating landscape.

"A lot of couples basically had the spark in the beginning, and then they encounter a bunch of issues that probably should have told them that they weren't a good match," Logan Ury, director of relationship science at Hinge and author of “How to Not Die Alone, previously told USA TODAY." "Yes, the spark exists, and it does feel wonderful when it happens, but just because you had it in the beginning doesn't necessarily mean that this is the right person for you."

Listen to your gut if a new relationship feels like too much, too fast

LaPaglia told listeners of “Hot Mess” that even if you think you may not fall for red flags, “you don’t know until you’re in it.” Forming “such an intense bond so quickly’ is one LaPaglia has warned listeners about.

“When you get into it, you think it’s cool and it’s fun and you’re like, ‘This is my soulmate,’” she shared. “But if someone is telling you they’re your … soulmate on day two of hanging out, run for the … hills.”

Ramani Durvasula, a clinical psychologist and author best known as "Doctor Ramani" online and a leading expert in narcissism, says it’s important to listen to your gut if a new relationship feels like “too much, too fast” and “give yourself permission to step away.”

"If they start talking about your relationship in these really grandiose, magical ways, like, 'I've never felt such an intense, magical connection with anyone ever' — when you start hearing that, you need to look for the exit,” Durvasula previously told USA TODAY.

Is 'the spark' a red flag? Experts say look for this in a relationship instead

Narcissists often love bomb their partners

Almost every narcissistic relationship begins with love bombing, which Durvasula describes as smothering your partner too quickly. Examples include a weekend getaway for an early date, showering someone with expensive or excessive gifts and overexpressing love or affection at the start of a new relationship.

"It feels almost like a fairy tale, but like an anxiety-inducing fairy tale," Durvasula said.

LaPaglia said that Bryan had gotten her “tattooed on him after a week” of dating, but since he was a “rockstar,” it didn’t phase her the way it might’ve if he was “a normal Joe Schmo.”

And while love bombing can be seen as romantic, it is almost always followed by devaluation.

Durvasula said if your gut is telling you something is off in your relationship, it's important to listen.

"The promise a lot of people make to themselves is: This will get better down the line; this will get better once we know each other; this will get better if we move in; this will get better when we're engaged; this will get better when we get married," Durvasula explained. "No. It's not going to change. This is it."

Contributing: Charles Trepany

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Zach Bryan, Brianna 'Chickenfry' LaPaglia and dating red flags