u/Camemk

I got laid off in November and have been struggling to find work ever since. I’ve applied to jobs in and outside my industry, part-time jobs, basically anything I can, but nothing has come through. I’m now going into debt trying to keep up with rent and have even had to ask my parents for help, despite them not really being in a position to do so.
I live with a couple in a house where rent is $3,400/month. I’ve been longtime friends with the girl for years, and I was also friends with the guy before they started dating, which is part of why this hurts so much. I’m in a ~10x10 room with a tiny closet and share a Jack-and-Jill bathroom with the guest room, while they have an ~18x20 room with a private bathroom and walk-in closet. I also share the guest closet because my room has very little storage. They also use some guest room for storage, including an extra bed/frame (takes up 2/3 of the room).

I’ve furnished about 90% of the house and have let them use extra furniture of mine. When we moved, my roommate did pay for the moving truck, which I appreciated, but outside of that I sourced most shared furniture/appliances. I found the couch, washer, and dryer, and my boyfriend helped transport everything, including driving over an hour for the washer/dryer. My roommate’s boyfriend didn’t help move and said he didn’t want to because “the stuff wasn’t his.” We split the washer/dryer cost 3 ways, and the couch was free from a friend, though my roommate is now trying to claim it.
My boyfriend visits every other weekend and sometimes stays 4–5 days as he works remotely. When he’s not here, I usually stay at his place on weekends. He sleeps in my small room with me and only uses the guest room to work during the weekdays he's here.

Today I told my roommates there is a real possibility we may have to break the lease if I cannot find work. I explained I’m doing everything I can to avoid it, but financially I may not be able to continue. Breaking the lease would cost one month’s rent plus a $200 fee.

Later, my roommate asked, hypothetically, “What if your boyfriend paid to break the lease?” That caught me off guard, especially since her boyfriend lived with us at our last apartment for over 3 months rent/utilities free before we moved.

I told her there was no way my boyfriend would pay to break our lease, especially given how uncomfortable he is with how they’ve treated me lately. She got upset, went upstairs, and slammed the door.

I later tried to calmly talk things out, but they ignored me. Then I found out they told a mutual friend I was trying to cancel the lease, which isn’t what I said. I said there is a possibility if I remain unemployed and financially underwater.
That same friend warned me not to be surprised if my male roommate tries to damage my reputation within our friend group over this.
At this point I feel hurt because these are people I considered close friends, but instead of communicating directly, it feels like I’m being treated like the villain for struggling financially after a layoff.

Am I wrong for how I handled this?

Edit: to clarify as people seem confused. My boyfriend is only here maybe 10 days out of the month, only 4 of which are work days, and the opposite weekends he's here I am at his place where no utilities are being used but rent is still paid from my end.