GUY ADVICE PLS

Okay so I’ve been best friends with this guy for six years. We know everything about each other and are super comfortable. The past couple months we were a “thing” and we talked about dating. But his friends ( both guys and girls ) got really jealous because he apparently spends to much time with me. ( we hang out 1-2 times every two weeks Bc busy with school). His friends broke us up basically so we got into a fight but we fixed it and promised we would never let anyone come in between our friendship again. But now it just seems so different, I wish it would just go back to how it used to be. We don’t hang out as much anymore because his other friends get so mad. They always say horrible things about me and make up rumors just to tear us apart, they try and make him hate me:( he’s my best friend and I love him so much and I’ve never tried so hard with a friendship before. I kinda just want to drop my best friend because I can’t handle his friends spreading rumors about me or anything because it hurts so much. ( my best friend doesn’t really do anything about the rumors because the people spreading them are also his friends so it’s kinda a complicated situation) he says he wants the friendship and it means a lot to him but I can’t handle the hate. It’s going to hurt so fucking bad to lose him but I’m not sure what to do. Any advice or tips? Thank you so much! ( I’m under 18 btw if that helps)