The evening air was filled with a mix of excitement and tension as Buck rejoined the group conversation, his heart still heavy with the aftermath of his argument with Eddie. As he settled back into the lively atmosphere, he was greeted by Tommy's concerned gaze.

"Are you okay, Buck?" Tommy asked softly, his eyes searching Buck's face for any sign of distress.

Buck forced a reassuring smile, but the weight of the situation lingered in his eyes. "I'm fine, Tommy," he replied, his voice strained. "Just...dealing with some drama."

Tommy's brow furrowed in concern as he leaned closer to Buck. "What happened?" he whispered, his voice filled with worry.

Buck hesitated for a moment before deciding to confide in Tommy. "Eddie," he confessed quietly. "He started dropping names to drag into the situation. Like Veronica and Jughead."

Tommy's eyes widened in shock at the mention of their friends' names. "Veronica and Jughead?" he echoed, his voice tinged with disbelief. "What does Eddie have to do with them?"

Before Buck could respond, Veronica spoke up from across the room, her voice cutting through the chatter like a knife. "Eddie's just trying to stir up trouble," she declared, her tone firm and resolute. "He's dropping random names to deflect from the real issue."

Betty, who had been listening intently to the conversation, couldn't help but interject with her own thoughts on the matter. "Eddie's behavior is unacceptable," she said, her voice tinged with righteous indignation. "He's trying to manipulate the situation and create drama where there doesn't need to be any."

The group fell into a thoughtful silence as they processed Betty's words, each of them grappling with their own emotions in the wake of Eddie's outburst. But amidst the chaos and confusion, one thing remained clear: they were united in their support for Buck and Tommy, ready to stand by their side no matter what challenges lay ahead.

And as the night wore on and the party continued to unfold around them, Buck couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude wash over him, knowing that he had friends like Tommy, Veronica, and Betty by his side, ready to defend him against whatever obstacles came their way.

The conversation among Buck, Tommy, Veronica, Betty, Jughead, and the others continued, the air heavy with tension as they discussed the drama surrounding Eddie. Buck and Tommy shared their side of the story, while Veronica, Betty, and Jughead offered their support and reassurance.

But their conversation was interrupted when Eddie overheard them and stormed over, his anger palpable as he confronted them. Tommy stepped forward, trying to defuse the situation, but Eddie refused to back down.

"I can't believe you're all ganging up on me like this," Eddie spat, his voice dripping with venom. "I thought you were my friends."

Veronica rolled her eyes, unimpressed by Eddie's theatrics. "Friends don't lash out at each other for no reason," she retorted, her tone sharp with frustration. "You brought this on yourself, Eddie."

Eddie scoffed, his laughter bitter and mocking. "Oh please, Veronica," he sneered. "You think you're so tough, but you're just as much of a hypocrite as the rest of them."

Veronica's eyes flashed with anger at Eddie's words, but before she could respond, Cheryl intervened, her voice ringing out across the room.

"Enough!" she exclaimed, her tone commanding and authoritative. "This is not how we're going to spend the evening."

The group fell silent as Cheryl's words washed over them, the tension in the air dissipating in the wake of her presence. With a determined expression, Cheryl addressed the room.

"The Keys Party has already started," she announced, her voice firm but inviting. "Let's put aside our differences and enjoy the evening together."

Her words were met with nods of agreement and murmurs of approval as the group began to disperse, finding their seats and settling in for the festivities ahead.

And as Buck and Tommy took their seats, surrounded by friends old and new, they couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over them. Despite the drama and turmoil of the evening, they knew that they were surrounded by people who cared about them, ready to support them through whatever challenges lay ahead.

The atmosphere in the living room was tense as Cheryl prepared to explain the rules of the Keys Party, the drama surrounding Eddie still lingering in the air like a thick fog. Buck and Tommy exchanged a glance, their expressions wary as they waited for Cheryl to speak.

"Alright, everyone," Cheryl began, her tone brisk as she addressed the group. "As you all know, the Keys Party is a time-honored tradition here at Thistlehouse. Each guest will draw a key from the bowl, and the person who holds the matching key to the designated lock will have the honor of opening the secret room."

There was a murmur of excitement among the group as they listened to Cheryl's instructions, but Buck couldn't shake the feeling of unease that gnawed at him. He knew that Eddie would likely cause trouble, especially with Marisol secretly holding the key first.

Sure enough, as Cheryl announced that it was Eddie's turn to draw a key, Eddie's expression turned sour. He stood up reluctantly, his eyes narrowed with suspicion as Cheryl revealed the truth about Marisol holding the key first.

Eddie's jaw clenched in frustration as he reached into the bowl, his hand trembling slightly as he pulled out a key. And to everyone's surprise, it was the exact key that Marisol had held earlier.

A tense silence fell over the room as Eddie's eyes flickered with anger, his gaze landing on Buck and Tommy with accusation. "I can't believe you're with him," he spat, his voice filled with bitterness. "Tommy and I were good friends, Buck. How could you do this to me?"

Buck's temper flared at Eddie's words, his voice sharp with defiance. "Don't you dare blame me for your insecurities, Eddie," he shot back, his eyes blazing with anger. "You're the one who's been causing all this drama tonight."

But Eddie refused to back down, his anger boiling over as he called out Buck and the others. Cheryl's patience wore thin as she intervened, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh please, Eddie," she retorted, her tone laced with disdain. "You're not fooling anyone with your nonsense."

But Eddie was undeterred, his temper flaring as he continued to call out the others. Buck felt a surge of protectiveness wash over him as he stepped forward, his voice firm and resolute. "That's enough, Eddie," he declared, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Stop calling out our friends."

But Eddie's anger only intensified, his words cutting like a knife as he lashed out at Veronica, calling her a bitch. Veronica's eyes flashed with fury at Eddie's disrespect, her voice sharp as she fired back. "You're the one being disrespectful, Eddie," she retorted, her tone filled with righteous indignation.

But Eddie shrugged off her words, his gaze cold and indifferent. "I don't care," he spat, his voice dripping with contempt. "And Marisol agrees with me."

The revelation sent shockwaves through the room as Marisol stood by Eddie's side, her expression unreadable. Buck and Tommy exchanged a glance, their hearts heavy with disappointment as they realized that their friends had turned against them.

Without a word, Buck and Tommy turned and left the party, the sound of their footsteps echoing through the empty hallway as they made their way out of Thistlehouse. Cheryl followed them, her expression sympathetic as she caught up to them outside.

"Why did you leave?" she asked softly, her voice filled with concern.

Buck sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping with defeat. "It's just...too much drama," he admitted, his voice tinged with sadness. "We can't take it anymore."

Cheryl placed a comforting hand on Buck's shoulder, her eyes filled with understanding. "I understand," she said gently, her voice soothing. "But don't worry. I'll make it up to you. How about we have the Keys Party at your apartment tomorrow? Just you, Tommy, and our closest friends. And no Eddie."

Buck and Tommy exchanged a grateful smile, their hearts warmed by Cheryl's offer of friendship and support. "Thank you, Cheryl," Buck said sincerely, his voice filled with gratitude. "That would mean a lot to us."

And as they made their way back to their apartment, Buck and Tommy knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, they would face them together, with courage, resilience, and an unbreakable bond that would see them through anything that came their way.