Relationship Advice

So my boyfriend & I have been together for about a year now. In the beginning things were great and he was everything I had ever wanted. Naturally, the “honeymoon phase” went away and things have not been the same ever since. We argue a lot and I will sit there and try to talk it out with him but he says he’s sick of having the same conversation and will plug his ears or just ignore me altogether. I just persistently try to talk to him until eventually he is fine. The other night we got into an argument and he told me to stop talking to him and he didn’t so he grabbed my arm and left really bad bruises. Although I don’t believe he meant to hurt me, he did, and he told me to make sure they are covered up. Is this the start of an abusive relationship? What should I do?