In Taylor Swift’s Folklore love triangle, James is dating Betty while he has his summer affair in “august.”
The three-song storyline is spread across “cardigan,” “august,” and “betty.” “august” is told from the viewpoint of the unnamed summer lover, who becomes emotionally attached to James even though the relationship is never secure. James’s established relationship with Betty gives the song its central tension.
The characters are fictional creations rather than confirmed portraits of real people. Swift used the songs to explore how the same event can look different from multiple viewpoints. “cardigan” centers Betty, “august” centers the summer narrator, and “betty” centers James after the relationship has fractured.
Fans sometimes assume the narrator of “august” is named August. In Swift’s explanation, August is the month and atmosphere surrounding the story, not a confirmed personal name for the girl. Betty, by contrast, is explicitly part of the triangle’s character set.