OP here, as for all of you asking how we went three years without meeting each other, we meet in an online chatroom and became close friends. we knew each for about a year and a half before he asked me out. I was dubious as to how such a relationship would work, but it actually worked remarkably well. I personally am not the biggest fan of people or of physical contact, so having a boyfriend with whom I could only talk worked wonderfully for me. We did want to meet up in person sooner, but the travel costs along with more than a few family disagreements about the relation kinda made that a little bit difficult. We actually got back together later in my stay and he says that it was a joke. considering that he's always had an awful sense of humor, it really doesn't surprise me. I just wish that he'd been just a /touch/ more considerate. As it turns our, he had realized that he'd left the ring box on his bedside table and wanted to keep the proposal secret so yeah.