I don’t wanna let go...

So my boyfriend and I had been together for 2.5 years and we had our first experience of long distance when we left to attend different colleges. Things got a little tense between us and he left me. Over the past 6 months we have kinda been trying to work things out. Today he calls me and says that he wants to be with me but he cannot date somebody who he doesn’t see everyday, and therefore he can’t do this long distance stuff. But he said that even though we aren’t “together”, he still wants us to see each other every chance we are home from college on a break, and over the summer, and it’ll be like we’re dating but we won’t consider us to be dating. He said we aren’t gonna consider our selves together but he is gonna wait for me until we get out of college and he wants me to wait for him, so then we can officially be together.

I think this sounds so strange and it’s really breaking my heart but I seriously don’t wanna let go. I’ve tried to forget him the past 6 months but I couldn’t do it. I eventually always cave in and respond when he reaches out to me. I just don’t get it. I was the one that suggested we should consider breaking up when we go to college (not because I couldn’t handle remaining faithful to him, but I thought it was right for me to suggest that to him because I wasn’t sure if he was really all in for this relationship) but he did not agree at all, he 100% said that we are staying together and he said all that sappy stuff about marriage, but i believed him. Now we’re all torn apart 😢💔

I really need some advice and I would really appreciate it if you ladies could give me some honest, maybe comforting advice. 😞😔💔