In Taylor Swift’s “august” storyline, the unnamed narrator is in love with James.
The song portrays a fictional teenage girl who experiences a brief summer romance with James. She hopes the relationship might become permanent, but James is already connected to Betty and eventually returns to her. The narrator is therefore left remembering a romance that was never fully hers.
Swift linked “august” with “Cardigan” and “Betty” as three songs about the same fictional love triangle. “Cardigan” is associated with Betty’s perspective, while “Betty” follows James’s perspective. The narrator of “august” remains unnamed in the song.
A common mix-up is calling the narrator “August” or “Augustine.” Swift said she privately imagined names such as Augusta or Augustine, but the character is not formally named in the lyrics. James, however, is the specific character the narrator loves.