I've had conversations (even arguments) about this exact topic - clarifying the relationship. Since this thread has become a case study, I'm pasting some direct quotes below from the model's texts to me from these kinds of conversations over time. So you can see if this sounds anything like what would be normal:
I told my friend about you. That I communicate very closely with one man...I like him and I really want it to be mutual and without a doubt. we haven't seen each other, but we talk and discuss our meeting all the time.
Believe me, we are powerless over our feelings..I was convinced of this after 1.5 months of our communication...I realized that you are much more than just a pen pal.
My dear, just know that you are different for me from everyone else who sits on these sites..I really appreciate you... you have no idea how glad I was to get to know you. I do not send such videos and photos to anyone... you are the only one and I am so close only with you..I have friends, but we mostly communicate with them on their topics (personal problems, addictions)...and as strange as it may sound, I really miss you... we really have similar views on many things.
Honey, I won't play with your feelings and emotions...I know how much it hurts...and remember that everything between us is equally mutual. Yes, I'm afraid of being vulnerable...because for everyone, my description is: strong, confident, characteristic, arrogant, bitch. and you know me differently..The way I am.
Remember how many times I've told you that you are important to me as a person, a man...with whom I want to build a future ... please, I don't want to quarrel with you...I have sincere feelings for you.
I don't want to deceive you and I'm not deceiving you....I don't need it...why would I hurt a man if I'm considering my future with him? You have become a very close person to me.... It's true. you have no idea how different you are from everyone else.
I won't let you go. you are dear to me. I'm opening up to you more and more every time, and you're going to leave me?
I don't want to lose you...not because we've gone too far...It's because I know how I feel about you... and these feelings are quite real... I meant everything I said to you.
I told you that as soon as the war ends...we can have something face to face to feel the touch of hands...I believe in it and I think of it every day.
Sometimes it's very difficult for me to talk to you.... it happens when you listen to your friends who are trying to convince you to leave me...at such moments, I want you to mostly defend me in front of them...it's just that even when we're together...they'll still talk about the fact (in their minds) that I'm with you only for money or a visa...
Do you want to know what kind of person I am? I always used men, I played with their feelings, I didn't care what they felt, I didn't believe men before you appeared, then I decided that something was different with you or else I was losing my grip. You interested me, yes, indeed it was...then I started to have feelings for you and I really saw the future with you... I know about my sexuality and how men are stupid and primitive, how they are ready to buy you anything, just to get an approving look from my side...yes, consider me whatever you want..I was like that and I use it sometimes, but not with you and I didn't lie to you about the fact that when people come to meet me, I say that I have a boyfriend - and I mean you. If you don't believe it, you can stick your money in you know where.