In Taylor Swift's “august” love triangle, James leaves Augustine and returns to Betty.
The song describes Augustine's memory of a short summer romance with James. The relationship is emotionally important to Augustine, but James ultimately reconciles with Betty, his former lover.
This storyline continues across three Folklore tracks. “August” is told from Augustine's perspective, “Cardigan” from Betty's perspective, and “Betty” from James's perspective. Together, the songs show the same youthful relationship from three different viewpoints.
The songs are fictional narratives rather than a confirmed account of Swift's personal life. Their connected characters and shifting perspectives are part of Folklore's broader emphasis on imagined stories, which was a notable change from Swift's earlier reputation for autobiographical songwriting.