"School should be the happiest place for young students to learn everything they need to know to be prepared for what is out there, but it's also the place where you make friends, experience new things, and make memories."
- ―Elena
Elena “E.D” Diane Pennington (née Margaret) is an English teacher and principal at North Central High School. She is the wife of Asher Pennington and the mother of Melissa and Ian Pennington and the foster sister of Jalen Long. Elena and Jalen both lived in a foster home where they were both mistreated by their foster family and the two of the were separated when Jalen ran away from the police for a crime on Elena that was actually caused by their foster father.
She is portrayed by Melissa Rauch.
Biography
Early life
Young Elena at her foster home.
Elena Margaret was born in Lacey, Washington. Her mother left her husband when she was pregnant since he was abusive and then she died after giving birth to Elena leaving Elena to live in a foster home. Throughout her childhood at her foster home, her foster parents never treated Elena right like their own child. Her foster mom is strict; she would always beat Elena or her foster siblings as punishments or for no reason at all. Her foster dad is an alcoholic and would sometimes join his wife in the beating. Even Elena's foster siblings never treated her well as they always pick on her since she’s the youngest. Only Elena's foster brother, Jalen Long, was nice to her. He gets treated just like Elena has by their foster family but worst. Elena however loved and cared about Jalen since he takes very well care of her like how a brother should treat their sister. They promised each other that neither of them will go with a family until they find one that will adopt the both of them.
One night, Elena woke up to find her foster dad on top of her taking her clothes off and before he could do anything, Jalen came and attacked their foster dad with a desk lap knocking him out cold and saved Elena, however she was traumatized and what’s worse is that their foster mom came in and saw the results believing Jalen raped Elena and beat her husband for silence and she called the police on Jalen. Elena was too traumatized to help Jalen as he was taken by the police until he was able to escape and ran away. By the time Elena came back to her senses, it was too late and the judge ruled in favor of their foster parents making Jalen a wanted man. Elena was however questioned on what happened on the event and for good safety, Elena was taken away from the foster home and she was later adopted by a new family who treated her right.
Elena seeing students mistreat others below them.
Elena was in her first year of college when one night she was walking by herself when she was herded by men until policemen came and arrested them led by the commissioner of the police department Asher Pennington who he and Elena fall for each other and later got married and Elena graduated college after three years to be an English teacher. However, Elena struggled to find a job until she was offered to teach English at North Central High School. There, Elena sees that students are disrespectful to others below them influenced by the principal Mr. Bitters. Seeing this, Elena wanted to report the students but only Mr. Bitters makes the decisions as all reports must go to him or else any faculty that goes against him will be fired and Elena cannot risk losing her job. With that, she continues teaching at the school as she is forced to sit back and let other students get away with mistreatment.
Have A Purpose
Elena sees Jalen for the first time in years.
"After so long of finding her, Elena Diane Margaret was with me the entire time since I came back to school and she has been helping me out like I have for her when we were young and I didn't even noticed it."
- ―Jalen on Elena
Elena continues teaching at North Central while trying her best to endure the witness of mistreatment of the school. At the beginning of October, new students arrived, the Cullens. There in her first class, she has Lucas Stone, who is a junior despite teaching at senior level, and to Elena’s surprise, Jalen. However, Jalen doesn’t recognize her due to Elena’s appearance and the fact that it’s been so long since they last saw each other. Instead of just telling Jalen who she is, Elena decides to try and get Jalen to remember her.
The next day, Elena witness Jalen picking a fight with The Big Five member Orion Stern, whose family owns the internationals, when Orion was harassing Jalen’s step sister, who is actually Jalen’s step daughter, Lucina Stewart. Jalen avoided all of Orion’s attacks causing Orion to fall down without even fighting back and Jalen gets sent to the principal’s office by Mr. Bitters even though he saw the whole thing but sided with Orion. Not wanting for Jalen to be punished for something Orion obviously did, Elena stepped in and bailed Jalen out of trouble from the principal. Elena has since then been at Jalen’s side whenever he’s in trouble with other students, mostly Orion.
During winter break, Elena and Asher spent their Christmas in Denali, Alaska. There, they ran into the Denali coven who are good friends with the Cullens and the Detroit coven who are Jalen’s friends who have also been mistreated. She finds out that Jalen is actually married and Tiffany Stewart, who she heard is Jalen’s older step sister, is Jalen’s wife. Hearing that Jalen still thinks about her, Elena believes there is still hope for Jalen to remember her. Elena then tells the Denali and Detroit coven to not tell Jalen and the Cullens about her since she wants to be the one to reveal her identity to him.
Later the spring, Elena overhears the conversation between Jalen and Orion where Orion knows that Jalen is wanted for a crime he was framed for by their foster father and knows something different about the Cullens seeing their school records having to have graduated numerous times. He blackmails Jalen to break up Lucina’s relationship with Bryce Summers so that Orion can ask her out to prom or else Orion will expose them to the public. Since Elena still can’t get Jalen to remember her, she can’t back him up against Orion. She couldn’t do anything as she finds out that Jalen had no choice but to do the deal as he broke up Bryce and Lucina and overhears the conversation between Jalen and Orion where Orion asked Lucina out to prom and tore the files of the Cullens as part of the deal.
Elena chaperones at prom.
Elena attends prom as a chaperone along with Asher as she sees that Jalen has regretted his actions. After Jalen interrupted Orion’s moment with Lucina and got her and Bryce back together confessing what he did, Orion called the police force to arrest the Cullens, Bryce and Jacob Black while telling everyone about who they really are, double crossing Jalen regardless of what happens to Orion and Lucina. Elena calls Asher who stops the police from taking the Cullens away and Elena tells everyone that Jalen didn’t commit the crime revealing her true identity to Jalen who finally recognizes her causing the two to be reunited. Soon after, Elena bust Orion for what he did causing Lucina and Bryce to be angry at him (Lucina stomps Orion’s foot and Bryce punched him in the face) however, Mr. Bitters was about to expelled the Cullens for deceiving the school and Elena was about to be fired until the superintendent Ted Turner arrives hearing about the incident and finds out about the mistreat Mr. Bitters has made causing Mr. Bitters to be fired. With that, Elena became temporary principal until next year her position will be permanent.
After clearing Jalen’s name, Elena finds out that she’s pregnant and names Jalen the godfather. Elena was then handing out diplomas to the seniors at graduation including to Bryce and Jalen. Elena was last seen at the Cullen’s graduation party.
A Christmas Surprise
Elena at the Cullen's house.
Elena gave birth to Melissa Pennington months later. She and her family spends Christmas with the Cullens and a few other guests where the Cullens tell them about the supernatural and finding out them being vampires. The reason why is because as the new Volturi, the Cullens told every one of their story and the events that has happened revealing about the supernatural. They made one adjustment to the law about revealing their existence; if a civilized vampire has any living family member or someone connected to, they have the right to know as long as they don't reveal the existence to other humans. Due to Jalen’s relationship to Melissa, Elena and Asher were brought into the supernatural.
Long Live Life
Years later, Elena gives birth to a boy Ian Pennington. She and her family went to visit the Cullens in Minnesota where Asher told them about the sightings of the metal vampires.
Physical appearance
Elena has long golden brown hair with blue eyes where she wears her glasses standing at five feet and seven inches.
Personality and traits
Elena gets mad.
"Damn, one minute she was kind and happy in class and the next she's pissed and ready to rip this guy's head off. I like to see that."
- ―Jalen on Elena
Unlike Mr. Bitters, Elena is kind and loving to her students in school being fair and respectful. She shows herself to be a very warming person making students feel comfortable to her. When Jalen was unfairly sent to the principal’s office, Elena shows fire in her eyes, a figure a speech, to show that she doesn’t get pushed around or being walked all over. She cares and loves deeply for the people around her, mainly her family especially Jalen.
Relationships
Elena Margaret is the wife of Asher Pennington and the mother of Melissa and Ian Pennington. She is also the foster sister of Jalen Long.
Asher Pennington
Elena's husband: Asher Pennington.
"I would do anything for you Elena."
- ―Asher to Elena
Asher Pennington is Elena’s husband.
The two of them met when Asher saved Elena from being ganged up by a couple of men and the two of them have fallen for each other. Asher finds out that Jalen, Elena’s foster brother, is wanted but knows he’s innocent. Since then he made his mission to find Jalen for Elena stating he will do anything for her. The two were then married and have two kids, Melissa and Ian.
Jalen Long
Elena's foster brother: Jalen Long.
"I couldn't help myself as I cry for being so happy that Jalen is back in my life for real. Everything is complete, everything is back to the way it was. I have my brother back after so long."
- ―Elena on Jalen
Jalen Long is Elena’s foster brother.
Like Jalen, Elena has been mistreated by her foster family. Jalen however cares about Elena, treating her like a sister and loving her as one. Elena comes to love Jalen as a brother as well and cares about him just as Jalen does to her. Many families wanted to adopt Elena but she refuses to go without Jalen who they will not accept. That's why Jalen promises Elena that they will find a family that will adopt them both. However, that promise was never fulfilled when their foster dad tries to attempt rape on Elena and Jalen attack him to save Elena and their foster mom saw it after their foster dad was knocked out and called the police arresting Jalen until Jalen ran away and the two of them never saw each other again with Jalen as a wanted man framed for what their foster dad did.
In Have A Purpose, Jalen returns to high school to finish his education. He has English with Mrs. Pennington who is actually Elena however due to the last time he saw her, Jalen did not recognized Elena even though she did. Giving time for Jalen to remember her, Elena helped him on his education while also throwing in hints about her to him as well as being there for him like Jalen has for Elena so that Jalen can remember her. When Orion was about to arrest the Cullens and Jalen, her husband Asher stopped the cops from doing so and Elena revealed herself to Jalen who finally remembers her, clearing his name allowing the two to be reunited with Jalen being happy that Elena is happy and okay.
Near the end of the story, Elena found out she was pregnant and appointed Jalen as the godfather. With Jalen being the guardian to Melissa and as the new Volturi, the Cullens told Elena and her family about the supernatural.