Madeline didn't understand what went wrong. She just thought it would be great for everyone to know that Madeline would always protect him no matter what, so nobody would bully Nathan.
But apparently, she made a mistake.
"Nathan, I just want to help…"
"You can help by NOT showing your face to my friends!" Nathan yelled, but then he realized that he was snapping at Madeline, who probably didn't understand the problem he'd be experiencing in the future after Madeline came to pick him up. "Please never pick me up again, Maddy. I'm begging you. You're only going to make my school life harder than it is."
Madeline was stunned by his sudden outburst.
She didn't understand the concern, but she knew Nathan was in a terrible mood now.
Thus, all she could say to defuse his anger was, "Don't hesitate to tell me if you need my help. I'm always here to protect you, Nathan."
